Ashley Young is entering into a decisive period at Manchester United with several rumours stating that he may be set for a move away from Old Trafford even as early as in January. Young has been at Old Trafford since 2011 when he moved to the club for around £20 million. Even from his first season, the former Aston Villa winger has failed to deliver the goods on a consistent basis. His position in the squad was certainly strengthened by the return of eight goals in 33 appearances in his first campaign. Since then, however, he has never really hit the same heights.
Even though he has now been at United for six seasons, Young has failed to make more than 40 appearances in all competitions in one campaign. The former England international is on course to making an even worse statistic this season, as he has so far featured in only eight games in all competitions. Furthermore, Jose Mourinho has handed Young a start in only four league matches. It is clear that the 31-year-old is not in favour within the squad, and several clubs are reportedly looking to take advantage of the situation.
The fact that Young also has a contract only until the summer of 2018 makes it likely for interested clubs to sign him for much less than his market value of around £8 million. Everton, Hull, Swansea, Burnley, Watford and West Brom are some of the clubs currently interested in the player, and they could very well come in with a January offer according to the Sun. Even though he is a winger by nature, Young has been deployed in a left-back position of late. Apart from providing an excellent choice going forward, Young is now a decent option when it comes to stepping into a left wing back or left-back role.
Almost all interested clubs are unlikely to take advantage of this versatility, as they would still perceive Young as a winger who can provide some accurate crosses. The likes of Everton, Burnley, and West Brom all depend on their prowess in the set pieces in order to overcome the opposition and a player like Young could be a great addition to their squads.
United have been linked with several new players even in January, which is surprising considering that they spent more than £150 million in the summer. However, it is not surprising when looking at the league table, which sees the Red Devils struggling in the sixth spot.
Young has not been seen in the league games since the 3-1 win over Swansea back at the start of November. His only other appearance since then came in the 2-0 win over Zorya in the Europa League.
