Erik ten Hag has had a memorable transfer window so far, but Thursday will determine whether it has been truly successful.
The Manchester United boss has managed to bring in a defensive midfielder that was so needed, albeit Casemiro was not his first choice. Tyrell Malacia’s acquisition looks clever, as does the free signing of Christian Eriksen.
Lisandro Martinez may not have been the centre-half fans were expecting at Old Trafford but he has gone down a hit with fans, some of whom are glad to see Harry Maguire benched in favour of the Argentine.
Antony’s imminent arrival will be determined in time given his plus-£80m fee but it pleased supporters to see a new attacking threat within their ranks. Martin Dubravka is also a solid short-term back-up option for David de Gea.
However three issues remain, one of which is pivotal.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future
Ten Hag insists that Cristiano Ronaldo has not told him personally he wishes to leave the club, despite submitting a transfer request earlier this summer. The unsettled superstar signed a two-year deal last August and scored 24 goals in his homecoming campaign.
But United’s low chances of silverware this season and a squad-wide 25 per cent salary cut prompted by their failure to qualify for this term’s Champions League has left Ronaldo unhappy. The issue has been that there seems to be few options open to him away from Old Trafford.
Ten Hag says Ronaldo is still in his plans, albeit hasn’t started the striker in United’s last two matches. An exit isn’t totally off the table, though, with Napoli interested in a move, but the odds are reduced.
Ten Hag must decide whether to risk keeping a discontented icon around a squad whose confidence is fragile or offload him, which then creates the immediate task of finding a replacement with little time remaining. This decision is what could define Ten Hag’s window.
Competition for Dalot
There is an evident shortfall in quality at right-back with Aaron Wan-Bissaka struggling to get in the team over Diogo Dalot. The Manchester Evening News understands that United have held talks with Barcelona regarding a loan deal for Sergino Dest as a result.
An acquisition would mean United are pretty well stacked in all areas of the pitch, aside from the ongoing debate about centre-forwards if Ronaldo does end up leaving. Getting a quality right-back in before the deadline seems important amid a hectic schedule around the World Cup.
Loan spells for youngsters
Alvaro Fernandez and Hannibal Mejbri are two academy products who have already secured season-long loans elsewhere, and Ten Hag must decide what next steps are best for other youngsters in the squad.
Amad Diallo and Tahith Chong seem set for loans while James Garner is to be offloaded. Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage had excellent pre-seasons but are unlikely to get enough first team football at United in order to sustain their growth.
Ten Hag must decipher whether it is better for them to be around the senior squad or get more minutes elsewhere, with decisions over Shola Shoretire and Alejandro Garnacho also needing to be made.
