12
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has struggled to select a stable back four due to injuries with the full-back position proving to be particularly tricky.
In the game against Brentford, it was Aaron Wan-Bissaka, a right-back by trade, who played on the left side and was at fault for the late equaliser.
The United boss was open to moving on the former Crystal Palace star last season but he fought back hard to make the right-back berth his own, relegating Diogo Dalot to either sit on the bench or play as a left back.
But his injury troubles returned this season, with the England U21 international missing 21 games this term with the Portuguese cementing his place as the de-facto starting right-back.
AWB out?
With both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia out injured, Wan-Bissaka still is getting the chance to play but once they are back, returning to the starting line-up could prove to be challenging task.
The €55 million star’s one-year contract extension was triggered by the club but talks over a new contract have not gone smoothly and there is a chance he might be sold in the summer.
Multiple Premier League and Saudi clubs are chasing his signature while his former club are open to welcoming him back as United eye an ambitious swap deal for Michael Olise.
If the 26-year-old leaves, the club will attempt to reinforce in that position with Italian publication Il Mattino linking the Red Devils with a move for Napoli skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
The 30-year-old former Serie A winner is dissatisfied with the direction in which Napoli are heading after a hugely successful last season.
United eyeing Di Lorenzo
And he wants to be reassured by the club president or else he could be willing to leave after even having dreams of retiring at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
“Giovanni Di Lorenzo is seriously thinking of leaving Napoli at the end of the season. The Premier League, with Manchester United and Aston Villa, have begun to probe the intentions of the Napoli captain and, surprisingly, found the door open. Not a glimmer of hope, but just a willingness to negotiate.
“Di Lorenzo, despite the fresh renewal, will want to listen to the proposals and evaluate them at the end of the season. The national team full-back had never reached this point: he was really sure he wanted to end his career here, but this season and the prospects don’t seem to reassure him.”
The report mentions that Villa and United’s offers “are on the table” and the full-back will decide after a meeting with Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The 30-year-old is a versatile star, capable of playing as a centre-back and even as a right midfielder but usually plays as the right-back.
He had 40 appearances across all competitions this season, registering two goals and seven assists while helping his club keep nine clean sheets.
Di Lorenzo’s impressive stats
As per Fbref, his attacking stats are quite impressive, placing him in the top two percent for defenders for touches in the opposition penalty box and for progressive passes made.
Considering his experience and winning mentality, the Italy international could prove to be an astute purchase who could help Dalot grow in stature even further.
United not only need young blood moving forward but also experienced heads with the knowhow of keeping calm under pressure.
Di Lorenzo has a market value of €18 million as per Transfermarkt, which should not be a major problem for United but there are more pressing concerns up front and in central defence and only after reinforcing those positions will the club opt to sign more players.
Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.