Manchester United are back on track in their Europa League campaign after a comfortable 2-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday.
Their form in the Premier League is excellent at the moment too, with the Red Devils currently riding a four-match winning streak that includes the scalping of arch-rivals Liverpool and league leaders Arsenal.
Erik ten Hag’s methods are gradually bearing fruit and the players are starting to fit in and understand how the coach wants them to play.
ETH doing wonders
However, the Dutchman’s reign could not have started on a worse note as United fell to back-to-back defeats at the hands of Brighton and Brentford.
Erik ten Hag has asked Manchester United for three new signings in January: a right-back, a creative midfielder and a striker. #MUFC [@Javier_EPP]
— mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) September 16, 2022
The manager was said to be furious at the lack of support from the club’s hierarchy in the transfer market. Those two defeats put them into action and in the end the Old Trafford side spent a lot of money and ended up with six new players.
But there are some positions where the Reds still need to strengthen and Ten Hag is said to have a meeting soon regarding United’s approach to the January transfer window.
“We have a lot of meetings, we have to improve the structures in and around the club, we will do it.
“We will also look out the window in January or next summer, but also to improve our way of playing by making plans and of course this next period with every third day a game we have to prepare for that,” said the former. The Ajax boss told MUTV.
And according to Samuel Luckhurst of The Manchester Evening News, the 20-time English champions have three priority positions in mind when it comes to immediate reinforcements, while the fourth could be left for the summer.
January transfer plans revealed
“United are considering a right-back, midfielder and forward as part of the next phase of rebuilding their squad,” the report read.
Ten Hag had already mentioned that he feels the club can challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title and these signings can help the Red Devils put up a tough fight.
It is a well-known fact that the manager does not rate Aaron Wan-Bissaka with Tyrell Malacia and Victor Lindelof playing at right back instead of the England full back. In the summer a backing was sought for Diogo Dalot, but the club did not back the manager at the time.
United’s current attacking line consists of a fit Cristiano Ronaldo, while Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are injured. With Ronaldo still looking for an outlet in January, bringing in a striker is of the utmost importance.
The midfield currently looks stacked, but Ten Hag always favored a move for Frenkie de Jong and the club could move again for the Dutch playmaker.
“A long-term goalkeeper could also be considered depending on the situation with David de Gea and Dean Henderson, on a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest,” the MEN article further said.
With Martin Dubravka currently at United, the goalkeeper situation is unlikely to be resolved this winter. But what happens over the course of the season with David de Gea will play a huge part in determining United’s next course of action.
