Man Utd closing in on THREE signings: Here’s how they could fit in
Robin Bairner
- 8 Jul 2022 04:00 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United finally appear to be making some progress in the transfer market, with FootballTransfers revealing that they are slowly closing in on a deal that will see Frenkie de Jong move to the club from Barcelona.
Other deals are getting close, too. Christian Eriksen’s arrival on a free transfer from Brentford is imminent, while Lisandro Martinez is expected to join the club from Ajax.
On the other hand, though, their move for Antony appears to have hit an impasse over the Brazilian winger’s transfer fee.
Nevertheless, with Tyrell Malacia having already joined up from Feyenoord, Man Utd suddenly appear to be making the type of progress than new manager Erik ten hag might have hoped for earlier in the summer market.
But will these arrivals dramatically change the shape of the team?
Related articles
How Man Utd are shaping up for 2022/23
Malacia, for example, is considered to be a strong prospect for the future but a player who is likely to play second fiddle to Luke Shaw in the short term.
Some might see Eriksen, meanwhile, as a back-up option for Bruno Fernandes in the No.10 role. After his success at Inter in a deeper midfield position, he could be a starter there instead of Scott McTominay. His role is likely to be a rotational one once De Jong is in the team, with the Netherlands star expected to be the centrepiece of Ten Hag’s plans.
Martinez, meanwhile, is set to start on the left-hand side of the centre of defence. Harry Maguire is the player who finds himself most at risk in this case, although Raphael Varane will be expected to find an additional gear compared to what he has produced in recent months.
This starting XI, of course, is predicated on Cristiano Ronaldo remaining at the club – something that looks uncertain as he attempts to force a transfer elsewhere. Should he go, Man Utd will have to search for another centre forward.
Read more about: Premier League, Man Utd, Christian Eriksen, Frenkie de Jong, Lisandro Martínez, Tyrell Malacia
