Man Utd: 5 targets Ten Hag now wants including £132m duo and 'world class' striker
With Erik ten Hag's team struggling for form, the Red Devils could turn to the transfer market in January to turn their fortunes around.
Posted Friday, October 06, 2023 by givemesport.com
Manchester United have endured a difficult start to the 2023/24 season, with Erik ten Hag's team losing six of their first 10 games in all competitions. Losing their first two Champions League games of the campaign, and struggling to get off the ground in the Premier League, the club have a big task to overcome the struggles they are currently facing.
There are already murmurs of the Old Trafford faithful being unsatisfied with the transfer business carried out in the summer window after Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Sofyan Amrabat and Rasmus Hojlund were all brought into the club. Except for Hojlund, none of these players have quite hit the ground running since joining the Red Devils, meaning many are already looking towards deals that could be done in January 2024 to help achieve the goals of the club.
Ten Hag may want to explore potential incoming options in the winter window to bolster his options for the remainder of the campaign, hoping there are additional funds to add to the money spent in the summer. So, we take a look at some players that have been linked with a move to Old Trafford, and whether a deal could be viable.
Ivan Toney
As already mentioned, Hojlund has had an impressive start to his career in England, especially in regards to the Champions League where he has netted three times. This makes it seem unlikely that Ten Hag would look to bring in another centre-forward as it may stunt the growth of the 20-year-old. However, Ivan Toney has been mooted as a potential January recruit.
Toney is the perfect man to come in to have an immediate impact with his Premier League experience being a valuable quality that cannot be understated. Currently serving a suspension for gambling related expenses, the Brentford forward is set to return to the game in January, and it was reported by Football Transfers during the summer that United have already held talks with Toney over a mid-season move to Old Trafford.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has told reporters that the striker's future is out of his hands, suggesting a departure could be imminent.
Goncalo Inacio
The Sun have reported that Manchester United have instructed scouts to keep a close eye on the Portuguese centre-back in the coming months ahead of a potential move in January. Inacio is a left-footed defender that could come in as an alternative to Lisandro Martinez, with the Argentine struggling with injury issues in recent times. Healthy competition for the position can't be a bad thing for Ten Hag considering the current back-up on the left side of the defensive pairing is Harry Maguire.
The former captain of the club is very much out of favour with his manager, and could be set to move on after the 2023/24 season, making it a good idea to plan ahead. Inacio is also capable of playing as a left-back, another position United have found themselves light in recent weeks. The 22-year-old is said to have a £52 million release clause in the new contract he signed at Sporting Lisbon in the summer, and this represents good value for a club like Man United.
Javi Guerra
A 'hands-off' warning has reportedly been issued to the Old Trafford club amid their interest in Valencia youngster Javi Guerra according to the Daily Mail. Even with this being said, an £86 million release clause exists within his current contract meaning the possibility is there should United deem the wonderkid worthy of such a price tag.
Guerra became a part of the first-team squad with the Spanish club earlier this year, making his debut in April 2023. The 20-year-old has since been promoted to the senior team permanently for the 2023/24 campaign. While Ten Hag's concerns lie mainly with the present struggles, the Dutch boss will likely also be looking to the future - that he intends to spend in the Old Trafford dug-out - for the next big talent emerging in the game. Other Premier League clubs such as Newcastle United are said to be in the mix for the Spanish midfielder's signature.
Jarrad Branthwaite
Similarly to Inacio, The Daily Mail report that the Red Devils hold an interest in Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite as they look to find solutions to Martinez's injury issues. The 21-year-old would likely jump at the chance to swap a relegation battle with Everton for a shot at potential European football should United still be involved in either the Champions League or Europa League come the turn of the year.
Having spent a successful loan spell with PSV during the 2022/23 season Branthwaite has forced his way into Sean Dyche's plans at Goodison Park upon his return to Merseyside as he has managed to play in the majority of Everton's Premier League fixtures so far. The centre-back has just under two years left on his current deal, meaning any potential suitors are likely to start looking to make offers in the upcoming transfer windows.
Benjamin Sesko
With Anthony Martial expected to move on sooner or later, a striker will be on the agenda in the coming months to either rotate with or play alongside Hojlund. Sesko has made a good start to life in Germany with RB Leipzig, as the forward had bagged five goals from nine appearances before this weekend's action. He moved to the Bundesliga club from RB Salzburg in the summer which means a January deal would be extremely difficult to negotiate - but as is normally the case with the Red Bull club, every player has a price.
Should the Red Devils manage to secure the signature of Sesko, they would find themselves with two of the hottest young prospects in world football with big things also expected of Hojlund. According to the Manchester Evening News, the Old Trafford outfit have a long-standing interest in Sesko, and would jump at the chance to bring the forward to the Premier League in the near future.
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