"Depends on two factors, from what I'm hearing" - Fabrizio Romano provides Manchester United January transfer update
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently provided an update about Manchester United's potential business in the upcoming January transfer window to address their ongoing defensive conundrum.
Since the beginnings of the 2023/24 season, manager Erik ten Hag has had to deal with injuries to key members of his defense. United are missing left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia and had to sign Sergio Reguilon on loan from Tottenham Hotspur to fill the gap.
In central defense, the Red Devils have been without their first-choice centre-back partnership of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane for most of the season. Martinez has been sidelined due to a foot injury, leaving a major void in United's defensive setup. On the other hand, Varane only recently returned to training after an injury setback.
Amidst these injury concerns, Romano has provided crucial insight about United's upcoming transfer business. He said (via GiveMeSport):
"The centre-back situation depends on two factors, from what I'm hearing. The first one is the recovery of Martinez. Manchester United need to understand when Martinez will be ready and fit and 100% ready to play football games because he was never 100% fit after the first injury."
"For Man Utd, it’s impossible to keep going in that situation with an important player like Martinez. So, it revolves around Martinez’s physical condition and the situation of Maguire."
In recent fixtures, Harry Maguire has started at centre-back alongside veteran defender Johnny Evans. Maguire put in a brilliant display against Sheffield United in their previous Premier League fixture and Ten Hag will be hoping that the Englishman can rediscover his form for the club.
Tim Sherwood believes Erik ten Hag's star-first approach is holding Manchester United back
A squeaky 2-1 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane wasn't the statement Manchester United were hoping to make on their return to Premier League football after the international break. Anchored by a 77th minute Diogo Dalot goal, the Red Devils clawed their way to victory, but the performance exuded anything but conviction.
Pundits Tim Sherwood was far from pleased with United's performance, amplifying doubts around both the players and the manager. Sherwood claimed that Ten Hag's bias towards his "superstars" might be steering United down a precarious path, telling Sky Sports (via United in Focus):
"He’s done well last season, he’s took them backwards this season. And the best players are the ones who are coming off the bench. The superstars are not there at the moment."
Sherwood also discussed how young Hannibal Mejbri has struggled for playing time, despite doing well when given the chance:
"I talked about Hannibal, the boy who went to Birmingham on loan, done well. Went away from the club to gain the experience to come back and play exceptionally in two games."
“He was exceptional because he wanted to run around he wanted to get the ball back, he had the urgency. he gave them a bit of energy in that midfield area. As soon as the ‘superstars’ are fit he drops him and puts him back on the bench again.”