We’re fast approaching ten years since Manchester United won the Premier League and the most famous club in the world doesn’t look like ending the drought any time soon.
But change is afoot at Old Trafford and fans have reason to be optimistic following the appointment of Erik Ten Hag as head coach. He’s a proven winner at Ajax and is already hard at work to strengthen his squad, but there will be no wholesale changes at the club as he tries to complement the best of the current crop with some carefully chosen new additions.
Ten Hag’s top priority is to secure the services of a world-class midfielder to fill the void which will be left following the departure of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic. And he is hoping to reunite with a former Ajax star Frenkie de Jong, if he can persuade the player and his club Barcelona to part company. The 25-year-old would also rejoin his former Amsterdam team-mate Donny van de Beek, and that might be just the boost the United man might need. Van de Beek struggled to nail down a place last season and was loaned out to Everton, but he is a fine player who is yet to show his best at Old Trafford.
Behind the midfield the Red Devils had a shaky defence and Ten Hag is looking for someone to challenge centre-back Harry Maguire, who had a poor campaign. Sources at La Liga club Villarreal reckon United might be in for their highly rated defender Pau Torres. The Spaniard was on the Manchester club’s radar last summer but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought in Raphael Varane instead. The two could link up now to form a more reliable partnership.
Up front the out-of-favour Marcus Rashford has said he wants to stay at Old Trafford and fight for his place, while talisman Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to give the Red Devils another season, having top-scored last term.
One story we’re watching closely here at SBOTOP is the future of FC Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski and, following the departure of Edinson Cavani, Manchester United seem to have entered the race for the Pole’s signature. Reports in the UK press suggest the Red Devils would be willing to pay the 33-year-old £400k a week, but he may still prefer to go to Barcelona where he will have Champions League football.
Meanwhile, back in the Premier League, Christian Eriksen is saying a fond farewell to Brentford and Manchester United might challenge Tottenham Hotspur for the Dane’s services.
The Red Devils have a long way to go to catch Manchester City and Liverpool, who are both strengthening, and so Ten Hag’s strategy must be an evolution and not a revolution. The Premier League 2022 betting odds will pitch his team as fourth or fifth favourites for the title in 2023, so United fans will have to be patient.
Deals done
Alexandre Lacazette has completed his return to Olympique Lyonnais from Arsenal after five seasons at the Emirates. He scored 54 goals and made 25 assists for the Gunners in 158 league appearances. He follows former strike partner Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang out of the door as Mikel Arteta continues to refresh his team in preparation for another attempt to win a top-four place. Arteta has shown an interest in West Ham attacking midfielder Jarrod Bowen, but he would have to pay a big fee to tempt the Hammers to sell.
Meanwhile, the big Premier League 2022 news in the Midlands is the arrival of Diego Carlos Sevilla to Aston Villa. The 29-year-old centre-back was strongly linked with Newcastle United in January but he has opted instead to join Steven Gerrard at Villa Park.
The £26m price tag could prove to be money well spent as Gerrard hopes his team can kick on next term. Villa finished 14th in the Premier League last season and were often too easy to break down. Carlos is the type of uncompromising defender they need to form a rearguard capable of keeping clean sheets.
Nunez is nearly a Red
FA Cup holders and Premier League runners-up Liverpool watched on as Manchester City made the stunning move of bringing Erling Braut Haaland to the Etihad Stadium. And now Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is set to make his big move. Portuguese club Benfica have released a statement to say they have agreed to sell their star striker Darwin Nunez to Liverpool in a deal which could reach £85m.
The 22-year-old Uruguayan hitman is big and quick and he looks capable of settling in to the fastest and toughest league in Europe. After beginning his career at Segunda Division side Almeira, Nunez made the switch to Benfica where he scored 26 goals at a rate of 1.18 per 90 minutes last season.
On the way out of Anfield we could see wide man Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Manchester United are one of the clubs tracking the Ox, who would cost around £10m.
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