With centre-backs Raphael Varane and Lisandro MartÃnez the only remaining Manchester United representatives in the World Cup, manager Erik ten Hag will be able to start taking stock of his team’s woes ahead of United’s season restart within of 10 days.
From what has been reported in the press, the only injury doubters returning from the tournament are Alex Telles, who is on loan at Sevilla anyway, and Diogo Dalot, who has a hamstring injury sustained in the surprise defeat for Portugal. for Morocco in the quarterfinals yesterday.
If Dalot has pulled a hamstring, it’s an immediate headache for Ten Hag, who hasn’t identified a substitute for the right-back and has, in fact, been linked with several players as a cover.
The club’s only other experienced right-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, played a significant role in United’s two friendlies in Spain this week, but he looked rusty and unimpressive, leaving the manager in big trouble in case that it was Dalot’s injury.
Does he risk Wan-Bissaka? Should he trade Tyrell Malacia at right-back, like he did once or twice before the World Cup? Could Victor Lindelof work there?
And come January, will there be money to spend on Denzel Dumfries, valued at €50m, whose World Cup performances were erratic? Another rumored summer target, Sergino Dest, is on loan at AC Milan, who will reportedly exercise his purchase option. Will United go for Malo Gusto from Lyon, a cheaper option, and would playing second fiddle to Dalot be the right move for the Frenchman? The same for the emerging 21-year-old, Jeremie Frimpong?
Could Ten Hag recall the excellent Ethan Laird from his loan deal at QPR, or even test Brandon Williams in the role?
The other problematic role is obviously that of center forward. Cristiano Ronaldo has left the club, Mason Greenwood is still long gone and Joe Hugill and Charlie McNeill are a couple of years away from being ready. This leaves injury-prone Anthony Martial as the only recognized forward at the club, with Marcus Rashford a makeshift option.
One reported target, Benfica’s Gonçalo Ramos, has gone from €40m to €100m and is not available until the summer. PSV’s Cody Gakpo remains the most likely option, but the price for him has also risen during the World Cup and could be around €75m. Barcelona would be interested in getting rid of Memphis Depay 6 months before his contract expires and, similarly, Lyon might be happy to receive some compensation for the outgoing Moussa Dembele.
But are these players the right profile? Gakpo is more of a winger and Memphis, also a converted winger, struggled earlier at Old Trafford. Dembélé may not be seen as an option in the long term. But beyond them, there would appear to be few realistic targets given that it is a winter window when United are reportedly short of cash.
Another player who could be removed from loan is Amad Diallo, who has the ability to play through the middle and has recently excelled at Sunderland. But that might be coming too soon for him. What he would also offer is another option at right wing, which is also becoming a problematic position with Jadon Sancho’s struggles for form and fitness and Anthony Elanga’s miserable form so far this term.
It seems unlikely that United are going to spend anything close to £100m in January, nor do they want to spend the entire period haggling. A solution is needed at the beginning of the window, not at the end, which will make the problem even more complex.
A sale, perhaps from Wan-Bissaka or Donny van de Beek, could raise an additional £20-£25, which could be enough to seal the deal with Gakpo. As for a right side, it remains to be seen if there is anything left in the kitty to strengthen. At this stage, it seems unlikely.
Laird, Amad, and Gakpo might be the three most obvious solutions to the Ten Hag dilemma, and they might also be the most likely.
