5 Players Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United Should Sign in the Summer…

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code STATMANDAVE at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

It’s no secret that Manchester United have to perform major surgery on their squad in Erik Ten Hag’s first summer at the club, with interim manager Ralf Rangnick stating in April that as many as 10 signings are needed.

First up, a new centre back is needed and at 20 years old, Jurrien Timber would be an excellent signing. A player tutored at Ajax since 2014, Timber has a great understanding of Ten Hag’s philosophy. A quick ball playing centre back, Timber has the profile of a modern day centre back. His speed and recovery pace can facilitate a defensive high line, allowing his teammates to compress the space the opposition has to play in whilst Timber covers the space in behind.
Meanwhile in possession he’s extremely composed on the ball and is not only a great progressive passer, capable of breaking lines and finding advanced teammates with passes but he’s got the technical ability and agility to carry the ball out with dribbles.

Next, a new left back would be smart. Neither Luke Shaw or Alex Telles have made that position their own so a progressive left back should be considered and Marc Cucurella would be a great acquisition. Extremely versatile, his schooling at La Masia has made him very well suited to Potter’s progressive, possession based style whilst his experience as a wide midfielder has made him very comfortable in wide areas. Cucurella would fit perfectly into Ten Hag’s style. Offering the best progressive play out of all of Manchester United full backs whilst remaining defensively solid and secure,

Next up, Manchester United need major midfield reinforcements with Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba both leaving Man Utd’s midfield severely depleted. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic would be a fantastic addition. A physical specimen with fantastic technical attributes, Milinkovic-Savic is also incredibly two footed. For Ten Hag, Milinkovic-Savic is a natural replacement for Ryan Gravenberch in his system. More physically imposing and athletic but just as technically gifted, the Lazio man is more suited to Premier League football right now. Meanwhile his size and aerial strength would somewhat make up for Jurrien Timber’s short stature when defending set pieces.

The fourth player on this list is probably the most important reinforcement: defensive midfield.
A number of players have been linked to this position: Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips, Ibrahim Sangaré and even Frenkie De Jong but the guy I think United should take a look at is: Cheick Doucouré. A talented deep-lying playmaker, Cheick Doucouré is very good at progressing the play. He tends to operate as the deepest midfielder, often receiving off the defenders and working the ball to more advanced players. With the ideal temperament to anchor Ten Hag’s midfield but the technical ability and composure to progress the play, Cheick Doucoure would be a cheap but very effective defensive midfielder for Manchester United.

And finally United need attacking reinforcements. To me another centre forward is more important right now. As impressive as Cristiano Ronaldo has been, he was clearly at his best when playing just one game a week and his most impressive displays came after being sidelined. Because of this I think Nkunku would be a great option to rotate alongside the Portuguese icon. Meanwhile when Ronaldo starts, Nkunku could shift to the left wing or even to number 10 to accommodate both into the starting eleven. With 51 goal involvements in just 52 appearances for RB Leipzig this season, Manchester United would be signing one of the form players in the world right now who could find another gear under Erik Ten Hag.

But what do you think? Who would you sign for Ten Hag’s Manchester United? Let me know in the comments below!

Socials:

________________________________________________________________________

► Artist Attribution
Music By: "After The Fall"
Track Name: "Pieces (Extended Version)"
License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

[StatmanDave]

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code STATMANDAVE at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

[fugaziishime]

Now that rangnick is gone, United should give the statman a contract.

[warrenbeer]

Forget about Nkunku, our hopes of getting him disappeared when Ragnick was sacked…I mean mutually left. We ain’t getting Anthony as well as Ajax already lost many players and we already taken their manager and probably Timber from them too.

[azzurra]

my top5:
CB: Timber
RB: Spence
DM: Sangare
RW: Antony
ST: Nunez

[Stryker_-qdnq]

Ideally I'd like to see, and I'm keeping this somewhat realistic with budgets and lack of ucl football considered

Scamacca, laimer, timber, neves.

People asking for nunez, frenkie and sms seem to think United are gonna spend 300 million to not fix their major issues, when in realty they'll spend much less to not fix those issues

[thescarbro]

To Statman Dave, I really enjoy your content and production, always a great watch, thank you.

[Sprite]

I am a big fan of cucurella, most tackles for a fb in the prem, young, good defensively and going forward. For 30m he is a great option

[rahulw]

No way Ten Hag will start without a left footed CB, he always had in his squad. He will definitely be looking for Torres or Bastoni in the market untill unless Dutch & MU u23s Hardley is ready for first team.

[badman]

Cucurella is interesting talent. Played really well against us

[sjewitt]

Sometimes it seems like United don't really do scouting, but our youth team recruits well, so it seems our first team scouts have been ignored, but surely now is the time to sign some players like Sangare considering the amount of players we need.

[bkarnhem]

Great video. Zero misses from Timo Werner, didnt expect that

[garybarnaby]

You should make a tactics explained video on nottingham forest, a winless team at the bottom of the championship after 7 games then gaining promotion after a managerial change the same season.

[erikafebrina]

I would pick Martinez and Alvarez all the day 🔥

[Syltee]

I like the addition of Doucoure, I haven't thought of him.
My list (after watching this video) would be:
CB: Timber
LB: Cucurella/Malacia
CM: Doucoure/Koné Either 2 out of those 5.
RW: Antony
CF: Nkunku preferably, but I'd not be against Nunez or Scamacca either. Kalajdzic is another wildcard I could see shine in a better team under a good coach.

[a_moneypound]

First Team Signings needed for next season:
Sangare
De Jong
Nkunku
David Carmo
Jurren Timber

My honest opinion

[DG-kampfer]

Get Belotti and Nkuku for striker, I'd add Sinisterra up there too. Laimer and SMS in mid, with Timber, Mukelie and Pau Torres for defense... we're still quite weak and need some reinforcing for depth. I'd look to add Malacia in winter or next year ( buy him now though and loan back), more Timber to more CDM and get another LB/CB like David Rhaum. Also if Greenwood isn't back we need another striker so I'd look at Scamacca or maybe look towards bringing in some academy players. I think if Mata doesn't resign we need to look at Christian Erikson on a free to bridge the gap from Bruno to Hannibal and also offer us something extra when double pivot isn't needed or Erikson on the flank.

[owainweekes]

Neves
Malacia
Dumfries/Mukiele
Palhinha/Manu Kone
Gakpo
Torres/Ignacio

[horatiohuskisson]

De Jong, Sangare, Bastoni, Timber, Malacia, Aaron & Laimer

[mahadevangopakumar]

The fact our scouting team doesn't even know nkuku before ragnick gives me depression

[Niimerium]

Cucurella admires Pep, he's a Barca product and Man City already are going for him for 30mil only and hes most likely going there as well so might as well forget about that option