The former Red Devils defender believes those at Old Trafford should be looking to invest in a proven playmaker during the summer transfer window
Manchester United should be favouring a move for James Maddison over Jack Grealish, says Jaap Stam, with the Aston Villa star considered to be a more of a “winger” than a playmaking rival at Leicester.
The Red Devils remain in the market for added creativity heading towards the summer transfer window.
Big-money moves have been mooted for two highly-rated talents currently tied to Premier League rivals.
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Maddison and Grealish are said to figure prominently on the recruitment radar of those at Old Trafford, with both considered to possess the qualities that an inconsistent United are crying out for.
Stam can see why the Red Devils would be keen on both, but feels a potential target in the East Midlands wins out over another in the west.
“I like Maddison a lot,” the 1999 Treble winner told 888sport.
“He’s a midfield player who is very comfortable on the ball and he’s always going into certain positions where he becomes an extra man. He can go by players and score goals as well as creating opportunities for others.
“Jack Grealish, I see more as a winger coming in. For United, they need to look more at direct wingers with pace going forward, instead of a player like Grealish.
“Who knows, he might be an important player because he is good in tight areas. But for me, it’s Maddison for United.”
United’s efforts to get another midfielder on board may be stepped up if a long-running saga involving Paul Pogba eventually leads to the France international moving on.
Former Red Devils defender Stam hopes that situation can be avoided, adding on the World Cup winner: “Pogba is a quality player and I’d like to see him back in the squad because he brings something extra in terms of his ability on the ball and his passing.
“Then there’s his strength going forward and scoring goals and bringing others into positions to score goals.
“The difficult thing is that agents are always pressing on behalf of their players, especially when you’re a big player and a manager tells you that you’re not going to play. You then want to go somewhere else and play for another club.
“And if you’re a big player like Pogba there are always teams asking for you and who want to sign you. That makes things difficult for the manager who has to keep the player calm and make him feel happy and appreciated.”