Manchester United announced their first signing of the January transfer window this morning with Canadian international full-back Jayde Riviere joining the club.
Head coach Marc Skinner had already stated that he was targeting the full-back positions as areas for strengthening in the current transfer window and with the acquisition of Riviere, he appears to have got his player. Despite still only being 21 years of age, Riviere has accumulated 36 appearances for her country and in that time, she has won an Olympic Gold Medal at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, so she arrives in England with a big reputation.
One of the things that has been repeatedly stated by Skinner when identifying transfer targets is that he is looking to find different ways of winning matches. This was the case with the summer arrivals of Nikita Parris, Lucía García and Riviere’s international teammate Adriana Leon. Yet, adding another right-footed, attack-minded full-back to a squad that already boasts Hannah Blundell and Ona Batlle doesn’t, on the surface, indicate an extra dimension to the roster.
With Riviere only just returning from an injury that has significantly limited her playing time since September of last year, perhaps she isn’t expected to be integrated into the squad immediately. Skinner has indicated as much, commenting that Riviere ‘is an exciting young player who matches the long-term version of Manchester United’. With the vision for the club and the player being much more forward-thinking as she continues her rehabilitation, Riviere’s impact on the team might not become readily apparent for some time.
Yet, the arrival of the young defender could set alarm bells off for many Manchester United fans as the move could spell the impending departure of highly-rated Spanish international full-back Ona Batlle. The player has been a pivotal part of The Red Devils’ success so far this season with Batlle staking a very credible claim for being the best defender in the league. Batlle’s contract expires in the summer, so perhaps Skinner is already preparing for life without the player in his side.
Still, Manchester United have been lacking in the full-back areas so much in recent times that they have needed to call upon the likes of Leah Galton to fill in amongst the back-line. As such, Riviere could instead be viewed as a depth piece to provide support and competition for both Blundell and Batlle so that Skinner is no longer so reliant on the two.
In my opinion, it is likely to be the latter. As the club enter such a vital period of the league season, bolstering in key areas could be the difference between making the top three or not. Many players at the club such as Mary Earps and Alessia Russo could be holding out on contract negotiations until UEFA Women’s Champions League status for next season is known and Batlle is likely to be no different. With Manchester United in their strongest position so far to achieve UEFA Women’s Champions League football and players still eager to stay, it is crucial to strengthen the squad both in terms of quality and numbers if they are expecting to compete in an extra competition next season. Riviere offers all that and more.
About The Author
