‘Modric or Iniesta’ Touted as Manchester United’s Midfield Saviour

Paul Ince believes Manchester United are lacking some much needed creativity in their midfield and has urged Sir Alex Ferguson to try and sign Barcelona talisman Andres Iniesta or Tottenham Hotspur's Luka Modric.

The former Manchester United midfielder, who played alongside Old Trafford luminaries such as Roy Keane and Bryan Robson, believes players like the aforementioned tough tackling stars are a thing of the past and instead cites Modric and Andres Iniesta as the new breed of modern midfielders.

Ince suggests Manchester United must add a creative spark to their workmanlike midfield next month, particularly following the enforced absence of Darren Fletcher.

The aforementioned Tottenham star was strongly linked with Manchester United during the summer, and is likely to prove a near unattainable target once again, given Spurs' desire to retain the midfielder. Harry Redknapp recently warned any potential suitors that White Hart Lane's midfield dynamo was not for sale regardless of Manchester United, and indeed, Chelsea's alleged interest in the Croatian.

If the Tottenham star is the unattainable, then the Manchester United legend's other suggestion, Andres Iniesta, is even more unlikely given his standing at arguably the finest club side in world football. The pint-sized Spaniard has been the catalyst behind Barcelona's unparalleled levels of success, yet Ince intimates Manchester United should make an audacious effort to prise the World Cup winner away from the Nou Camp.

"Darren Fletcher over the years has been that engine room, his energy levels are incredible so to hear the news that he's going to be out for a while is very sad," The former Manchester United midfielder told the BBC.

"But I feel they need that creativity in midfield, losing Scholesy [the retired Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes] was a big loss obviously.

"You're not going to get players like Roy Keane or Bryan Robson, those players aren't around anymore."

Having acknowledged the absence of the archetypal box-to-box midfielders like the aforementioned former Manchester United captains, Ince indicates the two leading players at Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona respectively, would be well equipped to alleviate United's current issues.

"The game has changed since then and you don't get those type of characters, so he's got to look at another way of controlling the midfield and I think that can come from creativity in someone like Luka Modric or Andres Iniesta, they are the players I would be looking at if I was Sir Alex Ferguson." The Manchester United hero said.

"I'm sure Sir Alex will take stock and he'll be looking at what type of player Manchester United will need in January and it won't just be in midfield, I'm sure he's looking at a centre-half with Vidic being out.

"But I'm sure he knows what to do, there's no point me telling him what to do because he's the greatest manager I've ever played under."