Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Bayern Munich eying Scott McTominay, Red Devils told to give Erik ten Hag time, and more - September 17, 2023
Manchester United suffered their first home defeat of the season on Saturday at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Seagulls outclassed the Red Devils to win the game 3-1, with Hannibal Mejbri's strike proving to be a mere consolation for the hosts.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich reportedly remain interested in Scott McTominay. Elsewhere, the Red Devils have been advised to be patient with Erik ten Hag.
On that note, let's take a look at the major Manchester United transfer stories from September 17, 2023.
Bayern Munich eying Scott McTominay
Bayern Munich have retained their interest in Scott McTominay, but will only target him if they miss out on Joao Palhinha, according to Football Scotland.
The Scottish midfielder has dropped down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag and is no longer a first choice at Manchester United. He got a rare start for the Red Devils in the defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
The 26-year-old was heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford in the summer, with West Ham United and the Bavarians both eying him with interest.
The Hammers saw an offer turned down by Manchester United, while the Bundesliga champions opted to concentrate on Palhinha instead.
A move for the Portuguese failed to materialize on Deadline Day, but Bayern are expected to return for the player in the winter.
However, should they failed to get a deal across the line, Thomas Tuchel will turn his attention to McTominay. The Red Devils are likely to let him go for a fair price.
Manchester United told to give Erik ten Hag time
Acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano has advised Manchester United not to make haste with Erik ten Hag. The Dutch manager has come under pressure at Old Trafford following a shaky start to the new campaign.
The Red Devils have now lost three of their opening five games of the season for the first time in their Premier League history.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Romano pointed out that Ten Hag hasn’t been helped by injuries to crucial players.
“The defeat at home to Brighton will obviously have alarm bells ringing with some fans, but my view is that Ten Hag did an excellent job last season because the situation he inherited was complicated,” wrote Romano.
He continued:
“Now he needs some time and also to have some players back from injuries because there are many important players not available for different reasons. I’d say: keep calm, let Ten Hag work as he’s an excellent coach. No panic.”
Manchester United need to get their act together before they head to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich in midweek.
Jean-Clair Todibo opens up on failed move to Old Trafford
Jean-Clair Todibo has said that he remains unaffected by his failed move to Manchester United this summer. The Red Devils were heavily linked with the French defender as a replacement for Harry Maguire.
However, the Englishman ended up staying at Old Trafford, prompting the club to scrap their plans to sign Todibo.
Speaking to L’Equipe, the Frenchman admitted that he thought about the move, but insisted that he is happy to be with Nice.
“It’s very clear the club [Nice] would not have sold me this summer. I have given it [the links to United] in-depth thought and I remained calm. I didn’t want to make the wrong choice. I expect to be presented with the full picture. What are you expecting from me? Why am I signing? You shouldn’t arrive at a club asking yourself this. I know what I have in Nice, so why leave? Everything must be clear,” said Todibo.
He continued:
“I’m not going to lie and say that I didn’t have the thought to tell myself that perhaps I should play in a 'top club' to increase my chances [of playing for France], but there are also guarantees when playing at Nice. It was an immense joy to wear the blue jersey for the first time, to sing the Marseillaise. I have always said that wearing the French team kit was the Holy Grail for me, so there was a lot of pride and emotion.”
The Premier League giants could return for Todibo in 2024.