One to Watch for Manchester United: Victor Lindelof

Jose Mourinho’s bedding in period at Manchester United is over and now the Portuguese ‘super coach’ needs to take the club back to the top if he wants to remain in the job.

This is the defining summer of his tenure at Old Trafford and, perhaps, his managerial career after that failure at Chelsea. There is no doubt he has a point to prove.

So it says a lot that his first major acquisition is Benfica centre-back Victor Lindelof – and the Swedish defender is likely to be key for the Red Devils this season, as they look to finally establish themselves as the top in a post-Sir Alex Ferguson world.

Mourinho’s sides are unfairly labelled as defensive, but there is no doubt he loves to build a solid backline before anything else – and he did that last season as United conceded just 29 league goals.

But the Portuguese was always after an upgrade on English duo Chris Smalling and Phil Jones to partner Eric Bailly, and in Lindelof it looks like he may found it.

Lindelof’s is not a name familiar to most Premier League fans but the ‘Ice Man’ has a strong reputation, which he first harnessed at the 2015 Euro U21 Championships where Sweden won the title despite starting as 15-1 outsiders, and Lindelof was named in the team of the tournament.

Compared to Burnley, and ex-United, centre-half Michael Keane, Lindelof made his debut in Sweden as a 16-year-old for Vasteras and helped them win promotion in his first season.

But the bigger clubs were circling quickly and Benfica snapped him up in 2012. The following year, Vasteras were relegated.

Every player needs a bit of luck and Lindelof’s came in 2016 – when injuries to regular starters Luisao and Lisandro Lopez handed the Swede his chance at regular game time, just as Middlesbrough were looking to sign him.

And in an environment where many youngsters would be overawed, Lindelof thrived as he displaced Luisao permanently and won the man-of-the-match award against Benfica’s rivals Sporting Lisbon. They went on to win the title that year.

Sweden’s weak Euro 2016 campaign, where they were knocked out of the group stages without really making a mark, passed Lindelof by – even though he was commended for the maturity he showed.

So United fans should be excited. Strong in the air, superb at reading the game and a measured and accurate passer, it is no wonder why Lindelof is being compared to a more physical, stronger version of Daley Blind – a player perhaps lacking the size to be a reliable United centre-half.

Quick and versatile, he can play right-back and in midfield, Lindelof could be the perfect partner to Bailly – complementing his all-action and chaotic style.

Since the heady days of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, United have been crying out for a formidable duo again.

With Lindelof on his way in to partner Bailly at the back, Mourinho might just have found one.