The Red Devils could reap the rewards of some clever transfer business this season and the advantage they have over other EPL rivals
Transfer deadline day is upon us, and there would appear to be a lot of noise surrounding one particular Man United player.
Erik ten Hag’s squad has some a small transformation this summer, and the players that have been brought in have undoubtedly improved it.
The Dutchman now has to ensure that the improvement translates into an upturn in results, because he has no room for error at this stage.
Man United ace getting lots of column inches
After the Red Devils managed to squeak past Fulham on the opening day thanks to Joshua Zirkzee’s late intervention, they were undone at Brighton and Hove Albion.
A huge test awaits them on Sunday as they welcome Arne Slot’s Liverpool side to Old Trafford, and another reverse then could pile the pressure on the manager and his squad.
Man United’s Victor Lindelof looks likely to stay at the club
One of his players, Victor Lindelof, has seen a lot of column inches devoted to him over the past few days, and given that ten Hag has signed two new centre-backs this summer in Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, there are cogent reasons to believe Lindelof will be on his way.
“There’s a lot of noise in the media at the moment about Victor Lindelof, but it’s always been quiet,” Fabrizio Romano said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing.
“Nothing is happening with Turkish or Italian clubs, and United are not desperate to sell the player as Ten Hag still appreciates him and he’s very calm.
“No movements so far.”
Unless a club therefore decides to make a late move for the 30-year-old Swede, it looks like he will be continuing to fight for his place for the next few months at least.
He is still a reliable option for ten Hag, and may well be needed towards the back end of the Champions League group stages if the manager wants to rest a player or two.
Anthony Elanga of Manchester United
Former Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga
Manchester United could land themselves some pure profit in the fight against the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules thanks to their top flight rivals.
Newcastle United have opened late talks with Nottingham Forest in a bid to sign former Red Devils winger Anthony Elanga. Eddie Howe is a big fan of the Swedish international and has already made one attempt to sign the 22-year-old back in June.
Forest have reportedly rejected Newcastle’s opening offer of £35million as they try to address their lack of depth out on the right-hand side of the pitch. There’s still a lot of work to do for a deal to get over the line, but if they are able to agree terms, it’ll be welcome news for Manchester United.
The Mirror claims that United inserted a sell-on clause into Elanga’s transfer deal which saw him move from Old Trafford to the City Ground in the summer of 2023. The Red Devils pocketed £15m from the original transfer, with the fee potentially hitting the £20m mark if certain clauses were met.
It’s unclear whether Elanga has hit any of these clauses and while United may miss out on some of those fees, they could well pocket pure profit from a transfer to Newcastle United. It’s unclear just how much the Red Devils would pocket from the deal, but it’s one to keep an eye on in the final few hours of the window.
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Manchester United has had several injury issues and has insignificant depth at left-back with injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
The Red Devils new summer signing Noussair Mazraoui can be deployed on both sides of defence with Diogo Dalot also capable.
Manchester United had been rumoured to be looking at a left-back this summer, however, it looks increasingly likely that the club will not purchase a full-back before the deadline.
Thus far Erik ten Hag has opted for Dalot as a left-back with Mazraoui on the right side of defence.
Youngster Harry Amass impressed during the pre-season tour and is expected to be introduced into the first-team action through the course of the season.
Tyrell Malacia steps up recovery with return to training
Tyrell Malacia has been spotted in training as the Dutch full-back aims to continue his rehabilitation from a long absence with different knee injuries.
Malacia was spotted in training in a video posted on Reddit. The former Feyenoord defender was spotted doing individual training as he steps up his recovery.
The defender aims to improve his fitness to return to full-team training soon and force his way back into the manager’s thoughts.
Malacia could offer a new option for Ten Hag’s defence
Malacia was the first player purchased in the Ten Hag era and had an impressive first campaign.
However, the Dutch defender struggled with injuries and has not played for the Red Devils since he faced Fulham on the 28th of May 2023.
With Lue Shaw commonly facing injury issues, Malcia will be hoping he can return to fitness and push to be an option in the squad this campaign.
He showed during his first season that he is capable of playing Ten Hag’s style of play and will be a good option to have in the squad later in the season.
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