The summer for Manchester United hasn’t quite gone as planned.
They have suffered defeats to Rosenborg, Liverpool, and Arsenal, and it appears that the injury crisis from the previous season has seeped into the current campaign.
Leny Yoro, who arrived from Lille for £52 million last month after United beat Real Madrid to sign him, is undoubtedly the biggest blow to the team. Rasmus Hojlund is out for about six weeks due to a hamstring injury.
Erik ten Hag’s defense is severely lacking with the center back out until late October due to an untimely metatarsal injury, especially in light of Raphael Varane’s departure.
Because of this, we thought we’d try to imagine what the Red Devils’ ideal summer transfer window may entail. Spoiler alert: a few reunions are in store.
Getting Matthijs De Ligt.
Ever since Ten Hag arrived in 2022, United has been keeping an eye on Matthijs de Ligt. The 24-year-old Dutch defender is in the shop window following a respectable, if rather lackluster, two-year tenure at Bayern Munich.
The German powerhouses are reportedly seeking to pay roughly £42 million for the player, and despite United’s efforts to negotiate a lower price, it seems likely that a deal will be reached without much difficulty.
Reaching De Ligt would bring him back together for the first time in five years with Ten Hag, his former Ajax boss. The defender led Ten Hag to victory in the Eredivisie in 2018–19, and he was named a European Golden Boy after advancing the team to the Champions League semifinals and completing a £70 million transfer to Juventus.
United would have two dependable, seasoned center-backs to choose from if De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez were included. Yoro, who is still only eighteen, would not have to be thrown in at the deep end.
Mazraoui’s signature
Another player on United’s summer wish list is Noussair Mazraoui, and it’s rumored that they’ve already had a bid for the Bayern star rejected. At the end of the previous month, the Red Devils made a combined offer for Mazraoui and De Ligt, but it was rejected.
Mazraoui, 26, is rumored to be eager to join United at Old Trafford and has even turned down a transfer to West Ham in the hopes that a deal will be reached in the upcoming days.
Similar to De Ligt, the Moroccan full-back trained under Ten Hag at Ajax and is excited to work with him once more. Last season, the Moroccan made just 19 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern. Mazraoui reportedly has personal conditions with United agreed upon and is awaiting approval to make the move.
Disposing of Wan-Bissaka
However, a lot will depend on United’s ability to let Aaron Wan-Bissaka go to West Ham this month. Should the east London club succeed in signing the former Crystal Palace defender, Mazraoui will have more room in United’s roster.
Under Ten Hag, Wan-Bissaka has had difficulty securing a starting position, and with Diogo Dalot playing almost twice as many games as he did the previous campaign, it might be time for the Englishman to go on.
After luring Crysencio Summerville, Max Killman, and Luis Guilherme to the team, West Ham is making waves in the transfer market this summer. They want Wan-Bissaka to challenge Vladimir Coufal for the right-back position. If a deal is reached, United hopes to acquire the 26-year-old for £18 million. With that money, they can negotiate transfers for De Ligt, Mazraoui, and…
Under Ten Hag, Wan-Bissaka has had difficulty securing a starting position, and with Diogo Dalot playing almost twice as many games as he did the previous campaign, it might be time for the Englishman to go on.
After luring Crysencio Summerville, Max Killman, and Luis Guilherme to the team, West Ham is making waves in the transfer market this summer. They want Wan-Bissaka to challenge Vladimir Coufal for the right-back position. If a deal is reached, United hopes to acquire the 26-year-old for £18 million. With that money, they can negotiate transfers for De Ligt, Mazraoui, and…
Affixing Miguel Gutierrez
The highly-regarded teenage left-back Miguel Gutierrez of Girona may be the last piece missing from United’s defensive puzzle. The 23-year-old may sign a contract to join United immediately following the Olympics, but he is currently traveling with Spain and preparing for a semi-final matchup with Morocco.
Although the Red Devils don’t exactly lack left backs, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw have both struggled with injuries in recent seasons, and there’s a chance that one of them will be traded to create room for a player with a stronger track record.
Since joining Girona from Real Madrid in 2022, Gutierrez has been a constant in the team. Last season, he stood out with several strong performances. He was previously under United’s notice. In 2017, Jose Mourinho attempted to convince him to join, but the young player chose to remain at Real Madrid.
