Manchester United will be looking to end the summer transfer window on a high by signing at least another one or two players.
Erik ten Hag has been eyeing a few defenders of late, yet with Harry Maguire not sealing a move to West Ham United, could the Dutchman perhaps turn his attention to signing another midfielder?
Who could Manchester United sign next?
Mason Mount has already arrived at Old Trafford in a bid to add some quality to their midfield area, but Ten Hag isn’t stopping there.
Reports have claimed that United have made enquiries for Bayern Munich starlet Ryan Gravenberch.
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The youngster could be available for as little as €25m (£22m) following a tough start to life at Bayern since his move from Ajax in the summer of 2022, and this is a deal which could represent wonderful value for Ten Hag.
It could also give the Dutchman a licence to finally move on Scott McTominay, who clearly isn’t in his future plans.
Will Scott McTominay leave Manchester United?
The Scot did make 39 appearances across all competitions during 2022/23, however, only 16 of those were starts, including just ten in the Premier League.
Ten Hag told the midfielder that he was surplus to requirements at Old Trafford back in June amid interest from Newcastle United and West Ham, though he has yet to seal a move away from the Red Devils.
McTominay ranked in a lowly 20th position in the United squad in terms of average league performance last term (as per Sofascore).
Meanwhile, he failed to rank in the top ten for accurate passes, key passes or interceptions per game, suggesting that even when he did get a chance, he was not able to take his opportunity.
Gravenberch would be an ideal replacement for the 26-year-old, especially if he could recapture the form which saw him seal a move to Germany.
Despite starting just three Bundesliga matches for the German giants, the 21-year-old still ranked in the top 7% for shot-creating actions when compared to positional peers, while he also ranked in the top 25% for successful take-ons, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, which is solid considering he averaged just 24 minutes of action per league match.
In contrast, McTominay failed to even rank in the top 35% for any of these metrics when compared to positional peers, and this certainly suggests that the young Dutchman is capable of showcasing his talent when given opportunities.
Ten Hag also knows all about Gravenberch having coached him during his spell at Ajax, with the Dutchman hailing him previously, saying:
“He's very important for our team because he's a box-to-box player. He accelerates out of positional play, does good dribbling, has tremendous passing ability and participates in the build-up play.
“Due to his athleticism and physique, he is also strong in the transition game and can also win the balls. He's come a long way, but can still learn a lot.”
For the aforementioned fee, the 53-year-old should be making Gravenberch a key priority before the end of the transfer window – and ditch McTominay in the process.
