Man Utd line up ELITE left-back as Shaw UPGRADE
Robin Bairner
- 28 Aug 2023 11:34 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United have asked about the availability of Brentford defender Rico Henry, who would provide an upgrade to Luke Shaw in Erik ten Hag’s side.
Shaw faces a lengthy period on the sidelines after sustaining an injury while a knee problem is set to keep Tyrell Malacia out for a prolonged time too.
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Having previously prioritised a defensive midfielder and then a centre-back, this new weakness in the Man Utd squad has prompted the Red Devils to reassess their plans coming into the final week of the transfer window.
And Brentford left-back Henry is a player they have asked after, according to the Daily Mail.
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Henry an elite-level left-back
Overlooked somewhat at Brentford, Henry is an elite operator in his position.
According to data analytics experts SciSports, the 26-year-old defender is the fourth-best left-back in the Premier League behind only Andy Robertson of Liverpool, Oleksandr Zinchenko at Arsenal and Tyrick Mitchell at Crysal Palace.
Clearly, Robertson and Zinchenko are out of Man Utd’s reach at this point, so Henry is a logical target for Ten Hag.
Premier League's five best left-backs
| Name | Club | SciSkill |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Robertson | Liverpool | 117.8 |
| Oleksandr Zinchenko | Arsenal | 114.0 |
| Tyrick Mitchell | Crystal Palace | 109.5 |
| Rico Henry | Brentford | 108.6 |
| Dan Burn | Newcastle | 108.6 |
What’s more, Henry’s improvement is continuing at a pace. According to SciSports, his development over the last six months is surpassed only by Malacia and Aston Villa’s Alex Moreno in the left-back area.
Interestingly, Brentford already have natural cover in the form of Aaron Hickey, who primarily features on the right for Thomas Frank’s side but is arguably more at home as a left-back. He has been another player rapidly on the rise.
A deal, though, is unlikely to be easily struck over Henry.
Manchester United’s limitations in the transfer market due to the lack of funds available to Ten Hag, caused by the stalling takeover deal, are well established and have thwarted moves for the likes of Sofyan Amrabat, Benjamin Pavard and Jean-Clair Todibo this summer.
After failing to get these deals over the line, the likelihood of Man Utd raising the funds to sign Henry, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €26 million but would likely go for far more than that given the context, is unlikely.
