Man Utd to gamble on late-window move that’s already being tipped to become rare Ten Hag blunder

Man Utd are expected to wait until the final stages of the January window before letting a resurgent star leave, and a Sky Sports reporter reckons there’ll be some within the club already thinking “maybe we should be keeping him”.
Finances are understood to be on a tight leash at Old Trafford this month. That resulted in Man Utd’s inaction when it came to lodging an official bid for Cody Gakpo, much to Liverpool’s delight.
A more cost-effective loan deal quickly took centre stage and a move for Burnley’s Wout Weghorst is taking shape.
Elsewhere, right-back continues to be a point of contention in the transfer world, particularly regarding Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The 25-year-old is widely believed to be a poor fit for Erik ten Hag given his attacking limitations. As such, the Athletic previously reported United are open to an exit in the January window.
Crystal Palace and Wolves are the two clubs most heavily linked with a loan move. The pair both get another mention today from Sky Sports reporter, Kaveh Solhekol.
Wan-Bissaka has come back into focus since the World Cup following regular right-back Diogo Dalot’s injury issues.
Wan-Bissaka has started four from six since domestic football returned and United haven’t conceded a single goal in any of those matches.
Regardless, Solhekol explained that if United do move Wan-Bissaka on, it’s likely to come in the latter stages of the window.
Why would Man Utd prioritise late-window exit?
Taking that approach would presumably be with a view to ensuring United can secure the most lucrative deal they can.
If more clubs enter the mix and get desperate as the clock ticks down, United will be able to command a higher loan fee, as well as a higher proportion of the player’s wages being paid.
However, in lieu of Wan-Bissaka’s recent resurgence, the reporter reckons there’ll be plenty inside the club harbouring concerns Ten Hag is about to make a mistake.
“If Aaron Wan-Bissaka is going to leave Manchester United, I think it could be later in the window,” said Solhekol.
“He’s been playing really well. Some people at United will be thinking he’s back in form, maybe we should be keeping him.
“There’s a lot of interest in him, not just Wolves and links with Crystal Palace.
“As we get further into the window, he will have more and more options if United allow him to leave.”
Wan-Bissaka exit an unnecessary risk?
Dalot limped out of the EFL Cup victory over Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night. Wan-Bissaka is United’s only other specialist right-back in the first-team at present, thus indicating how quickly a player’s importance can swell.
Furthermore, if the reports claiming United’s budget is severely restricted are true, a Wan-Bissaka exit would only make sense if a direct replacement arrives.
A loan deal wouldn’t generate a high enough fee to sign an upgrade outright.
Denzel Dumfries of Inter Milan and Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters have both been linked, though both would cost far more than what United could sell Wan-Bissaka for in a permanent deal too.
As such, a Wan-Bissaka exit doesn’t make all that much sense in theory right now. It’ll be interesting to see how the club respond if, as Solhekol suggested, they do part ways later this month.
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