After missing out on the top four of the Premier League last season, Manchester United will now be eager to improve Erik ten Hag’s squad in order to aid their quest for Champions League football next year.
Ratcliffe ready to bolster United’s backline
The inquest into the Red Devils’ struggles last season will likely point towards their failure to establish a reliable back four as the reason for their lack of success in the league.
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Asides from Diogo Dalot’s 35 starts last term, no United defender managed more than 20 league starts over the course of the season. Most worrying will be the significant minutes given to fringe players such as Jonny Evans, who laced up on 23 occasions in the Premier League last year.
In order to address this issue Sir Jim Ratcliffe has taken no time opening his chequebook and dipping into the transfer market. Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite has been the Red Devils’ top target during the opening passages of the window with the most recent development seeing the club go directly to the player to agree terms on a £160,000-a-week contract. That said, both of their first two bids have been rejected by the Toffees.
Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt is also being looked at by United with the club seemingly now getting the green light to sign the Dutch international. Whilst the centre of defence remains a problem area for United, the board are also now looking at a player who can sure up the left side of their backline.
Red Devils could make move for Chelsea ace
As first reported by Team Talk, Man United are considering a move for Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell. This development follows news from Fabrizio Romano back in March that the club would sign a new left back this summer.
It has previously been claimed that Chelsea would be willing to let Chilwell leave Stamford Bridge this summer after the 27-year-old has struggled to establish himself in West London. Despite this, the Blues would only be willing to part ways with the defender if an offer north of £50 million is submitted.
Whilst much of the Old Trafford faithful will welcome the arrival of a new left back, there will rightfully be concerns over the signing of Chilwell. With current first choice in this position Luke Shaw struggling with a number of injuries in recent years, signing another injury-prone player in Chilwell does not appear a wise move on paper.
Despite this, Chilwell is a player with obvious quality, with Chelsea legend Ashley Cole waxing lyrical about the defender after his debut for the club back in 2021: “He can handle the ball in every area – defensively, in the middle third, he can deal with it. And, of course, attacking-wise, he can cross, he can shoot, he can combine. He’s got it all.”
As no talks have currently taken place between the clubs over a deal for Chilwell, the deal is very much still in its infancy. Despite this, the United faithful should relish the fact that the club are actively looking for new players to fix a problem area of the pitch.
