Manchester United is in the process of revamping the center of its midfield and Axel Witsel is a tough, gritty player who is an ideal complement to the other players in the middle of the pitch.

Benfica is willing to sell the Belgian midfielder, and United manager Alex Ferguson is fond of the Witsel’s skill set.

The report states, “According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Benfica are ready to sanction the sale of Witsel this summer. However, the Portuguese side are demanding £20m for the Belgium international…”

This may be a steep price to pay, but Ferguson will likely try to talk Benfica officials down from that starting point. In addition, Witsel will be cheaper than Javi Martinez, another one of the team’s targets who plays the same position. The Atletico Bilbao star will cost at least £25 million

Witsel can bring the same daunting physical presence that Keane brought, and this will allow creative players like Shinji Kagawa and Tom Cleverley to flourish.

A midfield trio of Witsel, Cleverley and Kagawa would be an excellent foundation moving forward. All three players are young and talented, and their skill sets fit together perfectly.

he’s one of two Standard Liège players to remain from the 2009 championship-winning side. Player of the Year back in 2008, he’s now a much better all-round midfield performer. Witsel was often in Steven Defour’s shadow but he’s emerged recently as a leader in his own right. Best known in the UK for his horrific tackle on Marcin Wasilewski, Witsel is not that type of player. His game suffered – as did Wasilewski’s – for almost a year. Now he’s back and performing like the class act he is, expect to see him at Arsenal or Liverpool next season.

Sir Alex Ferguson is a keen judge of talent and masterful tactician, and this move will continue to prove those two assessments.

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