So far in this summer’s transfer window, much of the focus has been on the ins and outs of Manchester United’s midfield. Several senior members of that area have already departed the club.
Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard have all left on free transfers and Erik ten Hag has made it clear that he would like reinforcements.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is the clear number one target but there have also been links to Christian Eriksen, who is a free agent after signing a six-month deal with Brentford earlier this year.
As things stand, Ten Hag has less than a handful of senior midfielders to choose from at United, with Scott McTominay, Fred and Donny van de Beek currently available.
Andreas Pereira is still a United player but the Brazilian is expected to leave this summer, with Fulham reportedly seeing a bid accepted for the 26-year-old.
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McTominay was a mainstay under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and according to reports, United will resist all efforts to pry him away from the club this summer after Ten Hag’s assessment of the player.
According to The Times, United have no plans of entertaining any offers for the 25-year-old as Ten Hag sees him as pivotal to his plans.
It’s reported that Newcastle and another unnamed Premier League club made tentative enquiries about McTominay earlier this summer. No formal approach is believed to have been made for McTominay but they would have been rejected nonetheless.
Furthermore, the player is said to be determined to be a part of Ten Hag’s rebuild and the new manager views him as a pivotal part of the squad.
SN’s verdict…
Physically, McTominay has everything you would want in a central midfielder. He’s strong, fast, and can strike a ball. Mainly, the worry among United fans has been whether he can adapt to a defensive midfield role.
For much of his time at United, he has been made to play in positions he’s not the most comfortable in. The Scotland international will hope for that to change under Ten Hag, who has evidently been impressed thus far.
McTominay is expected back at the club early next month as he, and the other international players, return for pre-season preparations.
IF United sign De Jong, what will be the midfield squad depth?
De Jong and Garner as defensive midfield
McTominay and Fred as central midfield
Fernandez and Van de Beek as attacking midfield
Is that enough, sprinkled with under 23 / reserve players?