Man Utd offer former outcast NEW DEAL in twist that will alarm fans
Robin Bairner
- 6 Sept 2023 09:03 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s turnaround under Erik ten Hag is set to be completed imminently, with the right-back having opened contract talks with the club over an extension.
The 25-year-old was one of those players who was hotly linked with a move away from the club when Ten Hag arrived from Ajax in 2022, with his face one that did not seem to fit with the Dutchman’s future plans at Old Trafford.
However, Wan-Bissaka has benefited from Man Utd’s inability to add as extensively to their squad as Ten Hag might have wished and has managed to re-establish himself in the manager’s plans.
Out of contract next summer, Man Utd are now ready to open talks over a new deal for the right-back, according to The Telegraph.
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Why are Man Utd offering Wan-Bissaka a new deal?
Ten Hag has been left impressed with the progression of Wan-Bissaka in recent months, while the player’s attitude has also been admirable, having battled back from the brink of being exiled by the club.
This mentality is something that Ten Hag particularly appreciates and is one of the defining factors of players he likes in his squad – as Jadon Sancho has recently found out to his cost.
Indeed, Wan-Bissaka has started all of Man Utd’s four Premier League matches this season, indicating that for now he is ahead of Diogo Dalot in the manager’s thinking.
From Man Utd’s perspective, though, there is also a worrying message sent to fans with this move.
It suggests that the Glazer brothers, who have taken Man Utd off the market after nearly a year of takeover talks, are unwilling to invest in a world-class replacement in that area of the pitch.
After all, while Wan-Bissaka has equipped himself admirably, he is not the type of full-back that Ten Hag wants in his side. The Dutchman is known to want a more attacking option.
The former Crystal Palace player, meanwhile, has two goals and 12 assists across 164 appearances with the club.
This is benchmarked against a player like Trent Alexander-Arnold, who despite having a poor campaign for Liverpool last term still managed two goals and nine assists in the Premier League alone.
So while Wan-Bissaka’s stay is clearly a positive move for the defender, it perhaps hints at more transfer market penny-pinching from Man Utd’s unpopular owners.
