Five players Erik ten Hag needs to bring in at Manchester United

Several new players will arrive at the club in order to start the rebuild.

The 20-time English champions Manchester United has confirmed Erik ten Hag as their new permanent manager. The current AFC Ajax boss will take over the position from next season onwards. Earlier this season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked after a string of bad results. Ralf Rangnick was brought in as caretaker manager who will move up into an advisory role in the future. The problems at the club are aplenty. One of the key areas that the new tactician will need to work on is the squad.

Multiple players are going to leave the club due to expiring contracts. There has been a lot of criticism directed at the MUFC players for lacking effort, which is unacceptable at the top level. Ralf Rangnick indicated in a press conference after a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool that a lot of new players will come into the squad.

In such a situation, Erik ten Hag will have the complete freedom to recruit players to his liking. He will most likely get the freedom to mould the squad according to his preferences. Judging by the style of the new boss and the requirements at the club, here are the five players that Erik needs to bring in at Manchester United:

Max Aarons

Manchester United is in desperate need of a right-back. The current options in this position have failed to deliver. Aaron Wan-Bisakka’s attacking output is unsatisfactory and Diogo Dalot looks uncomfortable in defence with the pace of the Premier League. In this scenario, Max Aarons proves the best of both worlds and is also attracting interest from elite clubs like FC Barcelona and FC Bayern Munich.

The Norwich City defender is exceptional going forward and solid at the back. His performances usually go under the radar because of Norwich’s league position and potential relegation. Erik ten Hag is good at developing young players and MUFC needs hungry players that are desperate to prove their qualities.

Aurélien Tchouameni

One of the areas ailing Manchester United for a long time is the defensive midfield. The club will most likely add one or two players in the position with Nemanja Matic set to leave. Aurelien Tchouameni is one of the most promising youngsters in Europe. The 22-year-old is the answer to United’s problems in the defensive midfield.

He is a complete midfielder who can single-handedly dominate the middle of the park. It is absolutely vital that the club secures its services. Kalvin Phillips of Leeds United is another name that is likely to arrive at MUFC in defensive midfield. 

Darwin Nunez

Manchester United will most definitely sign a striker regardless of Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation at the club next year. Edinson Cavani will most likely leave at the end of the season and the club needs quality options in the forward department. Players like Harry Kane and Erling Haaland might be too expensive but someone like Darwin Nunez could be the perfect fit at the club.

The 22-year-old could lead MUFC’s forward line for years. He will certainly flourish under Erik ten Hag who is known to develop young players well. Nunez has already scored 33 goals and made four assists in 38 appearances across all competitions for SL Benfica.

Christopher Nkunku

Christopher Nkunku could be the utility player that Manchester United will need during the rebuild. There will be a situation where the club will need to find a replacement for Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba all at once. In such circumstances, a player like Nkunku, who can play all across the midfield, will be vital.

The RB Leipzig star has produced an outrageous attacking output this season. He has 30 goals and 20 assists in all competition from 45 appearances. These numbers are too good for the Red Devils to ignore and Rangnick must pull all the strings to land the player in the Premier League. 

Antony

Antony is heavily likely to accompany Erik ten Hag to Manchester United. The Dutch tactician will most probably bring a player or two from his current setup at Ajax. The Red Devils need new energy in the attacking winger position given Marcus Rashford’s poor form and Mason Greenwood’s situation. 

Antony is electric and has all the qualities to excel in the Premier League. The 22-year-old has nine international caps for Brazil and already has two goals. The highly-rated winger can create and finish chances, as his 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions would suggest. 

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