Ten Hag’s Revamp: Could Manchester United’s New-Look XI be the Key to Success?
As Erik ten Hag plots Manchester United’s resurgence, whispers of a summer overhaul are starting to circulate. With the Dutch boss identifying four key positions to strengthen ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, a flurry of transfer rumors are surrounding Old Trafford. In this piece, we’ll explore the potential new look Manchester United side and what it could mean for the Red Devils.
First up, the Red Devils have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee for a fee understood to be around £35 million. The young Dutch striker has already agreed personal terms and is expected to have his medical on Friday before penning a five-year contract with the option of a further year. With United’s current frontline looking short on depth and creativity, Zirkzee’s arrival could be a shrewd piece of business.
Ten Hag’s next target is thought to be Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, with a £42 million price tag being touted. The 24-year-old centre-back is keen on reuniting with his former Ajax boss and is said to be open to the move. With United’s defense still a work in progress, De Ligt’s signing could be a major coup.
Additionally, reports suggest United are chasing PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte, who only joined the French giants last year. The Uruguay international is reportedly open to leaving and could be a shrewd addition to United’s midfield. Meanwhile, the Sun claim Manchester United are also interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, who has impressed for the Netherlands at Euro 2024. According to the report, an exit from Paris would "almost certainly" be a loan at first with an obligation to buy, with PSG looking to receive a fee of around £70 million.
So, what would a potential new-look Manchester United side look like with these recruits? We’ve created two starting XI’s featuring De Ligt, Ugarte, Simons, and Zirkzee:
Team 1:
GK – David de Gea
DF – Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Luke Shaw
MF – Christian Eriksen, Fred, Casemiro, Marcus Rashford
FW – Antony, Marcus Rashford, Josh Zirkzee
Team 2:
GK – David de Gea
DF – Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Luke Shaw
MF – Christian Eriksen, Fred, Manuel Ugarte, Marcus Rashford
FW – Antony, Marcus Rashford, Xavi Simons
Ten Hag’s new coaching set-up also got a boost with the arrivals of assistant managers Rene Hake and Ruud van Nistelrooy. The latter, a Manchester United legend, will bring a wealth of experience and know-how to the club.
"We want to go forward and we are so pleased to get Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake in, to bring some new dynamic, to bring some new initiative and innovation," Ten Hag said in a recent interview.
With Ten Hag’s plans for the season well underway, the Manchester United faithful will be eager to see the new-look XI take to the pitch. Will the addition of De Ligt, Ugarte, Simons, and Zirkzee be enough to propel the Red Devils back into the top four? Only time will tell.
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