Erik ten Hag is shopping at Matalan, sifting for bargains, ready to consider any old purchase in order to get a plausible team out. This is the new reality at Manchester United, a once great club turned respite home for the unwanted. Lost Causes R Us.
Big ideas, grand visions, lofty ideals. What are they in the context of a present perverted by a rapacious ownership? Ten Hag cannot send out Fred, Scott McTominay and Diogo Dalot every week and hope to prosper. What’s a coach to do? Such is the paucity of options up front and in midfield, Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot are viewed as positive developments by a coach busily revising downwards his appreciation of the squad.
The Dalot selection is a failing experiment thrust upon Ten Hag by the inadequacy of the alternative, Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He does not have the luxury of options in the middle of the park or attack. Christian Eriksen is neither a false nine nor an orthodox midfielder, yet he was deployed as both in the defeat to Brighton. Eriksson is a No 10, an inside forward, styled to operate between the lines.
This is not to heap ordure on individuals. Fred and McTominay give all they have. Dalot and Wan-Bissaka are not failing for want of effort. They are just not good enough in a field that includes Brighton and Brentford, never mind Manchester City and Liverpool. United go to Brentford next then welcome Liverpool to Old Trafford. They could easily enter September propping up the Premier League. Alternatively, they might have Frenkie de Jong leading them towards the promised land by then.
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This is said only half in jest. So much of the De Jong commentary is the result of heavy duty surmising. He wants to stay at Barça, he would prefer Chelsea, he wants Champions League football, etc. The reality is De Jong is at a financially crippled club that owes him millions in wages. Barça’s accounting would make a barrow boy blush. De Jong’s silence on the matter reflects the seriousness of his predicament. He would not want to prejudice his chances of getting his due by indicating a preference to leave. He must, therefore, appear the injured party, proclaiming his intention to honour any contract until an agreement is reached with his employers.
United were Barça’s ticket out of financial hole, a needy club willing to pay the market rate to get their man but not willing to cover Barça’s debts, reported to be £17m in the De Jong case. United have been mugged and manipulated in the market too many times to fall for it again irrespective of their want. Any number of theories about what is going on has spilled forth to plug the information black hole. Ten Hag is as much a victim of this circumstance as the player. However, given his past relationship with De Jong at Ajax, and United’s obvious interest, it is fair to assume he and the club have been kept in the loop privately.
Daydream believers at United will hope for a resolution to the issue by the start of the Spanish season on Saturday, a must if Barça are to complete the La Liga registration of new signings Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen, plus Ousmane Dembele and Jordi Alba, who have signed new contracts. Failing that, Barça have until the close of the transfer window on 31 August to get their accounts in order and prove their financial viability.
The arrival of Rabiot for £15m would not jeopardise any deal for De Jong. United need more than one midfielder. On the other hand the pursuit of Rabiot might be seen as confirmation of the negative soundings that refuse to go away. Since De Jong is obligated not to comment and Ten Hag sees no value in doing so we must wait it out and let the chips fall where they may.
In the meantime Ten Hag has a team in urgent need of surgery. Rabiot, a French international, notionally represents good value at 27. The worry is, his sale is seen as an even better deal for Juventus, keen to get a player who has fallen down the Christmas card list since Max Allegri’s return, off the wage bill to the tune of £6m a year.
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