IF Darren Fletcher's value increased with every passing
minute of last week's Champions League final spare a thought for
Owen Hargreaves.
The absence of the England international for almost the entirety of
last season was papered over by a collective responsibility at Old
Trafford, with Fletcher rising to the occasion better than anyone
and Ryan Giggs reinventing himself as a central midfielder
supreme.
But despite a campaign that came so close to perfection, there has
been the niggling feeling throughout that United's engine room has
lacked that certain something.
That certain something provided by the likes of Bryan Robson, Paul
Ince and Roy Keane in Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest creations.
That certain something that despite Michael Carrick's swagger and
vision, Giggs' ageless intelligence and Fletcher's snapping and
snarling, has remained conspicuously absent since Keane left in
acrimony three and a half years ago.
That three titles and one Champions League have been acquired
without a recognised midfield general is a testament to Fergie's
ability to reinvent his side without the enforcer that his best
teams have always included. But it's a deficiency that's been
highlighted by Liverpool and Barcelona.
Display
How United could have done with a Keane to bully Andres Iniesta and
Xavi in Rome last Wednesday - or if nothing else stir a lifeless
United out of their inertia. It's hard to imagine such a
lack-lustre display had Fletcher been on the field - such is the
impact of the Scotland international, who has transformed himself
from terrace joke to one of the most valued members of Ferguson's
squad.
His performances against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final
were arguably the crowing moment of his United career thus far. His
unjust sending off in the second leg robbed him of a place in the
final and Fergie of the one man in his squad who might have been
able to get to grips with a brilliant Barcelona midfield.
But for all Fletcher's progress, it will be with great expectation
that Fergie anticipates Hargreaves' return from operations on both
knees to cure tendonitis.
After undergoing career-saving surgery at Dr Richard Steadman's
Colorado clinic in September, Fergie will hope to have a fully-fit
Hargreaves for the first time since signing him from Bayern Munich
for £17m in 2007.
At the time Hargreaves was seen as one of the best combative
midfielders in world football and the ideal foil to release Carrick
further up the pitch as the pinnacle of the midfield, rather than
the base.
Only rarely has Hargreaves been deployed in that position, instead
plugging gaps on the right of midfield or defence as needs
be.
But he was signed as a player to succeed Keane rather than emulate
John O'Shea as a dreaded utility player.
Ferguson now faces an anxious wait to discover whether Hargreaves
will be ready for the start of next season - and is not expected to
find out until July if the 28-year-old has got the all clear.
That could leave the United manager with the difficult decision of
whether to start the 2009/10 campaign with Fletcher as his only
recognised combative midfielder. There are options available if he
chooses to splash out in the transfer market, with AC Milan's
Italian international Gennaro Gattuso an obvious choice.
Sir Alex is a confirmed admirer of the former Rangers midfielder,
who produced such a sterling performance against United in the
Champions League semi-final in 2007.
Departure
Though he has so far resisted any attempts to be lured away from
the San Siro, the departure of coach Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea
could colour his thoughts.
It is extremely unlikely Ancelotti will take him with him to
Stamford Bridge with arguably the best midfield general in Europe
already there in Michael Essien.
Chelsea also have Jon Obi Mikel, whose outstanding performance
against Everton in the FA Cup final on Saturday only endorsed the
contention that he has the ability to fill the role vacated by
Claude Makelele.
Ferguson may now be regretting his decision not to firm up his
interest Wigan's Wilson Palacios in January, with the Honduras
international playing such an important role in Tottenham's revival
in the second half of the season.
The United manager was an admirer of Palacios, who cost Harry
Redknapp £12m, but having already laid out for Zoren Tosic and Adem
Ljajic during that transfer window, he was reluctant to spend
again.
Another option - if a little unlikely - is Gareth Barry of Aston
Villa. City, Liverpool and Arsenal are all interested in the
England international, who might get his wish to quit Villa Park
this summer, and how Fergie would love to get one over those
rivals.
But while Barry performs a holding role for England, he might be
seen as too similar to Carrick, especially with a price tag in the
region of £17m.
Much will depend on Hargreaves' fitness, but while Barcelona proved
a diminutive and mobile midfield can still reach the summit of
European football, Fergie's sides have always looked more balanced
with the type of aggression that only a Robson, Ince, Keane - or
even a Hargreaves - can provide.