Sport
Eight different players played in central defence for Manchester United last season. Injuries robbed the Old Trafford outfit from achieving any sort of consistency at the back and that had a direct impact on their 2023/24 season which saw United finish a lowly eighth in the Premier League table.
It is therefore encouraging for supporters that this summer’s transfer activity has so far largely focused on centre backs. Forward Joshua Zirkzee might have become Manchester United’s first signing of the window by joining from Atalanta, but Dan Ashworth and the club’s new-look front office are clearly rebuilding from the back.
Matthijs de Ligt has been most strongly linked with a switch to Old Trafford with Manchester United believed to have bid for the Dutch defender. De Ligt’s career has stalled and so a reunion with Erik ten Hag would surely appeal to the 24-year-old who has the physical and technical attributes to succeed in the Premier League.
Jarrad Branthwaite is another centre back Manchester United have reportedly bid for with the latest offer for the Everton defender amounting to £45m plus add-ons. The Toffees are digging their heels in and want to keep their most promising young player, but Branthwaite is destined for the elite level and United could offer him a higher platform.
Then there’s Leny Yoro, the 18-year-old Lille centre back also believed to be on Manchester United’s radar. The young Frenchman is a long-term target for Real Madrid with Yoro reportedly keen on moving to the Santiago Bernabeu, but United are in the mix to sign the teenager who is highly-rated within French football.
Jonathan Tah’s name has been linked with Manchester United following an impressive 2023/24 season which saw him help Bayer Leverkusen to Bundesliga glory. Bayern Munich have targeted the 28-year-old, but recent reports claim United could hijack the deal which might be worth €40m. That would be a bargain for a player of Tah’s quality.
Ten Hag kept his job after a lengthy end-of-season review, but changes are happening at Old Trafford. Ashworth has finally taken over as United’s new sporting director with Jason Wilcox also lured from Southampton. Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake have been hired as ten Hag’s new assistants. INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are remoulding the club.
On the pitch, there is simply too much remoulding to be done for Manchester United to be a complete team next season, but the targeting of more than one centre back is encouraging to supporters. It proves the new decision-makers at the club recognise how fundamentally weak the team’s foundations had become.
Raphael Varane has departed Old Trafford with Victor Lindelof reportedly available for the right price. Harry Maguire is expected to stick around, but could find himself down the pecking order when new arrivals eventually show up. Then there’s Jonny Evans who played more football than was ever envisaged last season, but will surely fall back to the peripheries this term.
Lisandro Martinez remains a favourite of both ten Hag and the Manchester United supporters for his no-nonsense approach, but the Argentine has long struggled to stay fit. United’s transfer window activity so far this summer shows there is now an acknowledgement that they can no longer count on Martinez being available.
This summer marks the start of a new era for Manchester United and the addition of one or two of de Ligt, Branthwaite, Yoro or Tah would represent the more thorough approach adopted by the likes of Ashworth and his new colleagues. The basis of ten Hag’s team next season should be much stronger.
