Manchester United: The transfer conundrums facing Erik ten Hag this summer

1 year ago 20

Erik 10 Hag aft Manchester United's FA Cup last defeat

At the extremity of his media league after Manchester United's decision successful the FA Cup final connected 3 June, manager Erik 10 Hag was asked if helium had 2 plans for the summertime - 1 if the long-awaited takeover had taken spot and different if it had not.

Ten Hag's effect was decisive.

"I person lone 1 program and that is to amended this nine and amended this team, and that I volition combat for," helium said. "I person my ideas but besides I person to enactment with my unit and my players to bash better."

It feels similar the lone wide imaginativeness to travel retired of United successful what has turned into a tortuous summer.

Changes to what was mostly accepted to beryllium a squad not equipped for the demands placed connected it person been limited.

Mason Mount, finally, is acceptable to motion aft 3 bids were turned down by Chelsea, portion Zidane Iqbal - whose first-team acquisition extended to a azygous infinitesimal arsenic a substitute successful a dead-rubber Europa League radical crippled successful December 2021 - has been sold to Dutch broadside Utrecht.

Apart from that, determination has been the exits of Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe, whose contracts person expired.

But determination is nary solution to the ownership situation. There is nary solution to David de Gea's declaration situation. No caller fig 9 has travel in.

At slightest it means determination volition beryllium a consciousness of familiarity for Ten Hag erstwhile helium returns to Carrington for the commencement of pre-season grooming during the adjacent week. But, fixed the enactment astatine rival clubs, the Dutchman is facing a hard fewer weeks.

Ownership uncertainty

Fans of Manchester United protestation against the Glazer family's ownership

Only astir 30 fans were astatine Old Trafford connected 27 June for the latest ocular protestation by the 1958 radical that is campaigning to extremity the Glazer family's ownership of the club.

In fairness, the numbers were possibly affected by the information hardly anyone expected the appraisal of "strategic alternatives" for United to beryllium continuing 231 days (to 30 June) aft it was launched.

Sources person described the process arsenic "complicated" and pointed retired deals tin instrumentality overmuch longer than the United 1 to thrash out.

This whitethorn beryllium true, but seldom tin they person done truthful amid truthful overmuch publicity and debate.

To outsiders it appears United are stuck, and until it is decided who is moving the nine implicit the agelong term, strategy and absorption are missing.

This presumption is unfair connected those who are astatine Old Trafford, trying to instrumentality what they judge are the close decisions.

But instability astatine the apical affects immoderate organisation, and successful an unforgiving situation similar the Premier League, offering rivals an vantage tin lone beryllium seen arsenic a negative.

Number nine

Harry Kane celebrates his extremity for England against North Macedonia astatine Old Trafford successful June

It has been evident for a sizeable clip Ten Hag's biggest task of the summertime was to find a centre-forward.

Harry Kane is the wide archetypal choice, but archetypal soundings suggested luring the England skipper northbound from Tottenham would beryllium intolerable astatine a terms United could afford.

Instead, Ten Hag is looking astatine younger options.

Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund has been often mentioned and the 20-year-old Denmark guardant already has an planetary hat-trick to his name.

Randal Kolo Muani is besides connected United's radar, though the 24-year-old France striker is rated highly by Eintracht Frankfurt and the transportation interest needed to bargain him could beryllium prohibitive.

United bash person the enactment of utilizing Marcus Rashford successful a cardinal role, though it is not 1 helium likes, portion Anthony Martial inactive has a twelvemonth near connected the five-and-a-half-year woody helium signed successful January 2019.

Goalkeeping issues

David de Gea aft Manchester United's FA Cup last decision successful June

Even if the uncertainty implicit De Gea's aboriginal ends with him remaining astatine United, Ten Hag indispensable beryllium looking further ahead.

Andre Onana's show for Inter Milan successful their Champions League last decision by Manchester City was an illustration of what a modern-day goalkeeper is expected to nutrient with the shot astatine his feet.

De Gea simply cannot scope the aforesaid level connected a accordant basis, and until that flaw successful Ten Hag's squad is resolved it is hard to spot however his squad tin present the performances demanded by the Dutchman.

It is just to presume Dean Henderson believes helium tin bash precisely what Ten Hag demands.

The large question is whether Ten Hag has the aforesaid presumption of a subordinate who openly said helium wanted to get retired of Old Trafford earlier the erstwhile Ajax's boss' accomplishment past summertime to forestall him having the accidental to transportation Henderson to stay.

Can United merchantability well?

Scott McTominay, Anthony Elanga and Fred observe a extremity for Manchester United against Leeds

In summation to predominant examples of Manchester United buying poorly successful caller years, determination is plentifulness of impervious they besides find it hard to merchantability well.

Given they request to make wealth successful the transportation marketplace to bolster Ten Hag's transportation budget, determination is accrued scrutiny connected the concern shot manager John Murtough tin conduct.

The futures of 12 elder players are unfastened to question.

Not each volition leave, and perchance immoderate of those who bash volition not pull important bids.

Brandon Williams, Eric Bailly, Alex Telles, Anthony Elanga and Donny van de Beek whitethorn beryllium evident candidates for the exit door, some Fred and Scott McTominay are bound to beryllium assessing their options successful airy of Mount's imminent arrival,while Dean Henderson and Hannibal Mejbri person done capable during indebtedness moves to pull immoderate interest.

However, successful the cases of Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial, determination is simply a delicate equilibrium of accepting a nonaccomplishment connected a hefty transportation fee, knowing they are connected contracts that mightiness not beryllium matched elsewhere and, not insignificantly, they would besides request to beryllium replaced.

This has a capableness to make a fiscal strain that whitethorn marque leaving unviable.

Nevertheless, successful an perfect world, Murtough would make capable country to let Ten Hag to get the players helium wants.

Under Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United made important strides successful 1 season, lone to autumn backmost conscionable arsenic acold successful the next.

Given the accrued contention they are facing, they cannot spend to repetition past mistakes.

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