One of Manchester United’s FA Cup final heroes could be set to leave the club, with talks said to be taking place.
The future of manager and players are up for debate after a dramatic and exciting end to the season.
Erik ten Hag is not the only one, meanwhile, who may have had his doubters feeling a little awkward as Manchester United produced a masterful display of determination, organisation and resilience against Pep Guardiola’s star-studded City.
Say what you want about Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the ball, off it he remains one of the finest – if not the finest – one-v-one full-backs in European football.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka may leave Manchester United
Man United can certainly bring in a more technically gifted, more attack-minded player to take his place. Bayer Leverkusen flyer Jeremie Frimpong, for instance.
But sell, and United would be losing a footballer with unique characteristics. A man made for one-off games like Saturday’s Wembley triumph. A man who’s replacement – from a purely defensive standout – would almost certainly be a downgrade.
Man United, in January, triggered the 12-month extension clause in Wan-Bissaka’s contract. But with his deal expiring in 2025, that felt like a classic case of kicking the can down the road, a short-term sticking plaster slapped upon an issue which requires a long-term solution.
And according to reports coming out of Italy today, Serie A champions Inter Milan have held discussions about potential summer targets, with Wan-Bissaka right at the top of their list.
Tuttomercatoweb reports that Man United and Inter have been in talks over the last few days too.
The Red Devils will allegedly listen to offers of around £10 million. A fee which, even considering his contract situation, feels very much on the low side. Inter, meanwhile, will offer Wan-Bissaka an initial three-year contract worth £50,000-a-week at the San Siro, with decision time fast approaching.
United and Inter Milan swap deal floated
One interesting factor to consider is that Inter’s current right-back has been linked with Man United himself. Is a swap deal on the cards? Denzel Dumfries – Gazzetta dello Sport said at the start of May – would be keen on a move to Old Trafford so long as his fellow Dutchman Ten Hag stays put.
And as things stand, Kieran McKenna set to sign a new contract at Ipswich Town, the prospect of Ten Hag sticking around for at least another 12 months appears to be a very real one.
“He has improved a lot, as many players have improved during the (2022/23) season,” Ten Hag said last year, Wan-Bissaka one of a number who have played arguably the best football of their United careers under the former Ajax boss.
“That’s one of the jobs for a manager and the coaching staff, to get that done (improve players). And we are really happy with it, that players are developing
“Always the team spirit is the base and if players understand that, if they can set their egos aside, then you will see that the team develops and progresses.
“And then within the team’s progress, individuals make a lot of progress. And Aaron is definitely one of them.”