Krishnan Sreekumar
Incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wants to bolster full-back position by signing Feyenoord defender Tyrell Malacia
According to the Mirror, incoming new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wants to strengthen the full-back position in the squad by signing Feyenoord defender Tyrell Malacia in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The defence has been a cause of concern this season for United, with the team guilty of conceding cheap goals and unable to hold their own against stronger opposition. Clean sheets have been rare for goalkeeper David de Gea, and it has affected the side’s position in the Premier League table.
At left-back, Luke Shaw has struggled to remain fit due to various injuries this term and has not been able to recreate his same form from the previous campaign. His deputy Alex Telles has not had a stellar campaign either, with the Brazilian often getting caught out of position.
Brandon Williams was sent out on loan to Norwich City for the entire season last summer, and he is expected to return when his spell with the Canaries ends at the end of the term. However, ten Hag is still keen on adding a left-back in the side in order to improve the state of the team.
Malacia scouted by United
The Dutchman has identified Malacia as the player to address his new team’s problems at full-back and will look to get him at Old Trafford, after failing to convince him to move to Ajax in the past. He is someone that is on United’s wish-list as well, with the English club scouting him earlier during his side’s 3-2 win against Marseille in the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals.
With ten Hag aiming to undertake a squad rebuild in Manchester and signing hungry, young players to fit into his new team, the 22-year-old defender fits the bill. However, it may take an offer of £20m to convince Feyenoord to sell one of their rising stars in the summer, with the Eredivisie side trying to raise funds after suffering through two financially tough years following the Covid pandemic.
ten Hag’s vision of building a young and dynamic side once he takes over at United is something that has gotten the fans excited about, especially after a season that has seen the club fail to win any trophies. With this, the trophy drought extends to five years.
It is also doomed to be a campaign that will see the Premier League giants miss out on Champions League qualification for next season. It may be tough for us to convince new signings to move without the appeal of UCL football next term, but perhaps ten Hag’s plans for a new era with the Red Devils is attractive enough during the transfer season.
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Malacia appears like an exciting talent that we could benefit from, as he has been described to be a player that is comfortable on the ball and boasts of rapid pace. Fans in Holland refer to the player as ‘pitbull’, due to his ability to put in a tenacious tackle.
These qualities of his certainly make him out to be a solid presence at the back, which is something we lack at the moment. Hopefully, ten Hag is able to bring him to United in the summer, and finally secure the services of a player he missed out on last year.
