Transfer News: Crystal Palace considering summer loan move for Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka

According to The Athletic (Subscription Required), Crystal Palace are considering making a move for Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the upcoming transfer window at the end of the season, in an attempt to solidify their rearguard.

The Englishman was previously employed by Palace, having come through the academy and then breaking into the first team as a teenager. He would later be sold to United in the summer of 2019, as then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed to convince the London side to part with him.

Now, it looks as though the right-back could be heading back to his boyhood club on a temporary basis after the defender fell down the pecking order at Old Trafford under new boss Ralf Rangnick, who took over from Solskjaer late last year.

The interim manager has preferred to utilise Diogo Dalot at right-back over Wan-Bissaka. The Portuguese star offers more in attack than his counterpart and fits more in line with Rangnick’s style of play and how his team shapes up.

Loan move back to south London?

Although there is no certainty that Palace will make a move for Wan-Bissaka in the summer, it is likely that the Premier League will prefer a loan move for their former player rather than a permanent switch. Patrick Viera is looking to increase competition in his squad and get more out of his players next season as part of a summer upgrade at right-back.

Their current options at full-back include Nathan Ferguson, Nathaniel Clyne, and Joel Ward. While Ferguson has struggled with injury and has barely featured, Clyne and Ward have been impressive when called upon. Tyrick Mitchell, meanwhile, has made the left-back spot his own.

After impressing the Old Trafford faithful with his defensive abilities during his early days at United, the Englishman has seen his stock decline over the course of the season with his performances on the pitch.

While he proved to be a regular in the team under Solskjaer, the defender has failed to impress Rangnick. Anyone who watches the Red Devils will also be able to tell you that the ex-Crystal Palace star looks awkward in Rangnick’s attacking style of play, unable to contribute meaningfully.

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Having moved to Manchester for £50m, it may be a stretch to say that he has lived up to his price tag. That could even be a reason for his performance levels dipping, having to deal with the pressure of justifying the amount that the club paid for him. Considering the fee we paid for him, news of being linked with a potential return comes as a surprise. Not many fans would have thought it would come to this when the Englishman signed for us.

That being said, he is not the only one who has waned in their displays on the pitch for United, with club captain Harry Maguire also struggling in defence this season. It must be noted that these are still early days ahead of the transfer window, and with incoming new manager Erik ten Hag yet to assess his squad, Wan-Bissaka could still see a future at the club.