[Good Read] Is Hargreaves a henchman?
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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.