Alvaro Fernandez hopes to evade another loan move and stay at Manchester United
Alvaro Fernandez (20) is confident and eager to make his mark in Manchester United’s first team after showing promising signs during his pre-season preparations.
The young player insists that he is fully prepared and ready to seize the opportunity to secure a place on the team.
After delivering two remarkable performances in victories against Leeds and Lyon, the young full-back faced competition for his starting position upon Luke Shaw’s return for the United States tour.
As a result, the 20-year-old played alongside his younger teammates in a 3-1 loss to Wrexham. However, he has now rejoined the senior squad and is gearing up for the upcoming friendly match against Borussia Dortmund at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Monday.
During the previous season, the Spaniard gained valuable experience on loan at Preston North End, featuring in an impressive 39 Championship matches and contributing four assists.
Despite Shaw and Tyrell Malacia currently holding higher positions in the left-back pecking order, there have been speculations about Fernandez going on another loan spell.
However, the determined defender remains unfazed and admits that he is prepared to embrace any opportunity that comes his way. As quoted by the club’s official website, he said:
“We start [pre-season] three weeks ago. Let’s see what happens. I feel very good with my team-mates, I’m just ready to go.”
The No.42 is roaring to be a part of Erik ten Hag’s plans for the upcoming campaign. The youngster rightly deserved to be a part of the squad due to his most recent progress.
The fans firmly believe that he possesses all the necessary attributes to develop into an exceptional full-back at the highest level. Moving from the Championship to the Premier League, especially when returning to a club like United, is a massive leap.
Even players like Amad, who had a successful season in the second tier, cannot be assured of their place in Ten Hag’s plans for the upcoming season.
The transition to a higher level of competition and the expectations at a club of United’s stature makes it a challenging task for any young player.
A little more than a week ago, there were concerns that Fernandez’s chances to impress the Dutch boss would diminish after the Lyon match.
Several key players from United rejoined pre-season training last weekend, including left-backs Shaw and Malacia. This raised doubts about Fernandez’s opportunities to make an impact on the team.
However, the absence of Malacia due to injury presents a potential window of opportunity for the full-back at Man United. While he was likely to be included in the squad, the Dutch defender’s absence allows him to earn more playing time.
Shaw is the primary left-back, but Ten Hag is expected to rotate players during matches, giving Fernandez more chances to impress. He could be used as an effective understudy for the English star.
Shaw has been used as a centre-back on a few occasions last season, notably in the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton at Wembley, and he was comfortable in that position. This suggests that the manager might consider utilising him in the same role at times this season.
Considering this, it is not out of the question for the former Real Madrid star to make his mark in Ten Hag’s plans.
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While some may believe that another loan move would be beneficial for his development, Fernandez now has the chance to prove otherwise.
He can seize this opportunity to show his versatility and potential value to the team in various positions and earn a significant role in the squad for the upcoming season.
