It is expected that Erik ten Hag will make significant alterations to the roster of United during the course of the summer as he looks to add a striker, a central defender, and a dynamic midfielder to the team.
The three players that United signed in January were all on loan from other teams. Ten Hag’s team borrowed Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich on the final day of the transfer window. Goalkeeper Jack Butland came in on loan from Crystal Palace, while Burnley attacker Wout Weghorst arrived on a contract that will last until the end of the season.
In addition to the players that United may bring in, there is speculation that the club may sell as many as six of the players currently on its first-team roster. This includes Eric Bailly and Alex Telles, both of whom are currently out on loan, but it is also believed that £80 million center-back Harry Maguire is one of those on the way out of the club.
During the summer, Ten Hag oversaw significant roster alterations for Manchester United, which resulted in the club shelling out approximately £200 million in transfer fees to bring in players such as Antony, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, and Tyrell Malacia to Old Trafford. The manager will likely be interested in making additional recruits, and the selling of some of the team’s past high-priced signings could make the necessary monies available.
United are willing to consider bids for many other players in addition to Maguire, Bailly, and Telles. These players include Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek, and academy product Scott McTominay. United spent more than £200 million on the five members of the sextet who commanded sums when they were signed, but it is improbable that the club would get back the full amount of that investment.
Although Van de Beek had a successful run with his countrymen Ten Hag at his previous club Ajax, none of the other probable departing players have been regulars for United since Ten Hag took over as manager. The midfielder has only started four games so far this season due to injuries, and he suffered a new injury setback against Bournemouth at the beginning of January.
The French forward Anthony Martial had a strong preseason, but he has been sidelined by a string of injuries. He made his comeback from his last injury with a goal against Nottingham Forest in the middle of the week, but he was unable to play in United’s triumph over Crystal Palace on the weekend due to a calf injury.
Before the start of the summer season, there have been rumors that United are interested in several different strikers. However, the Nigerian international would not come cheap and has been the subject of some of the most buzzing rumors surrounding Napoli’s rising star Victor Osimhen.
The pursuit of a center back comes on the heels of Inter Milan’s interest in both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof up until the transfer deadline. Maguire and Lindelof were both on Inter Milan’s radar. Maguire, who plays center back for England, and Varane, who plays center back for United, will both be 30 in the spring, and Ten Hag has already added a younger option in the form of Martinez.