Erik ten Hag saying Wout Weghorst’s loan spell last season was a success is bound to grab headlines, but the manager did have a go at defending the club’s short-term approach to January transfers.
The manager also said he would consider looking for loan moves again this month if the right opportunity came up, which is an obvious attempt to tell every football agent in the world that United are in the market for loan signings.
It’s also important to note that United’s issues with meeting with Financial Fair Play rules mean they can only shop in the loan market again this January. That is the biggest reason we are restricted to this market.
But it really shouldn’t come as a surprise. A year ago United signed Jack Butland on loan as a back-up goalkeeper before completing temporary deals for Marcel Sabitzer and Weghorst – neither of which were that was much of a success.
I guess, to play devil’s advocate, you could say they served a purpose but neither were United standard. Sabitzer’s influence was cut short due to injury but he didn’t do enough to warrant a permanent switch to Old Trafford and eventually joined Borussia Dortmund. Meanwhile, Weghorst scored just two goals in 31 games.
United lost two players to loans during the week, including Jadon Sancho and Joe Hugill, while Alvaro Fernandez is set to follow them by joining Portuguese champions Benfica.
“So you always have to consider such choices. They are, again, two very good loans; (Marcel) Sabitzer and Wout Weghorst really contributed to our success last year,” Ten Hag told reporters, as per the Manchester Evening News.
“When such opportunities come up, we have to take them. At the same time, you have to analyse what we have on board, what is coming up.
“For instance, I already counted on Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo; I knew they might make mistakes and we can’t bring them in every game but I counted on them.
“Of course, it went straight away negative when Kobbie Mainoo got injured in the second game of pre-season, then you lose him for three or four months and it stops the process.
“Now we have to work him back and then also you have to accept he can’t play three games of 90 minutes in the Premier League in six or seven days – it is not possible.
“You have to manage that and manage that process because you do not want to get injured again, but then you need players who can replace his position in that moment and get the right results, so that is what we try to prepare in the moments where we make our decisions.”
United’s short-term approach to January transfers is as a result of the Glazers and the fact Ten Hag hasn’t had proper backing is maybe something we can see hope for in the future with INEOS. But only time will tell on that front when it comes to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ten Hag.
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