Carlos Baleba was introduced to the Old Trafford crowd on the pitch before Sunday’s kick-off, while Manchester United supporters were also given their first look at two more major summer arrivals, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, as they featured against Ipswich.
Beyond the free-agent signing of back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow, United’s transfer strategy this summer has been centred firmly on strengthening midfield. It follows last year’s attacking overhaul, when Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were brought in. In total, more than £360million has now been committed to upgrading those two key areas of the Manchester United squad.
The intention, as understood, has been to postpone major defensive work until next summer, when Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are all due to be out of contract. United do hold options to extend the deals of Maguire and Martinez by a further 12 months, but decisions are looming not only on that trio but also on several other defenders at the club.
Shaw has known plenty of highs and lows during his 12 years at Old Trafford, a spell that makes him Manchester United’s longest-serving player by a considerable margin. Still only 31, he defied expectations last season by starting every Premier League match for the club.
This season, however, has begun less smoothly for Shaw after a summer in which he was omitted from England’s World Cup squad. Against Ipswich on Sunday, he struggled to contain Abdul Fatawu, who burst away from him before setting up Leif Davis for the opening goal.
Luke Shaw was left trailing in Abdul Fatawu’s wake as the Ipswich winger set up the opening goal for Leif Davis on Sunday
Manchester United’s initial plan was to revamp their defence next summer, when Harry Maguire (centre) and Lisandro Martinez (right) will be out of contract
After losing their first game of the season at Hull, United were able to recover against another of the newly promoted teams and win handsomely on this occasion, but the question mark over Shaw lingered. Afterwards, he admitted it wasn’t good enough and said he is expecting some new signings before the window closes.
‘I’m disappointed in myself,’ Shaw admitted. ‘With my experience, I must be doing much better for the first goal – that’s not me. We showed the right mentality. It’s never nice to lose the first game when everyone is so optimistic, but we’ve got a lot of experience to block out the noise.
‘The objective has to be to win the Premier League, and last week’s result doesn’t mean we can’t do that. I’m sure there will be a couple additions to the squad which are needed to make us stronger.’
Will United use deadline day to sign a new left back? The word from inside Old Trafford is that the club are open to doing so if the right opportunity comes along, but there is no guarantee it will happen. Of course, director of football Jason Wilcox and the recruitment team led by Christopher Vivell have been aware of the issue all summer, even more so after the rarely used Tyrell Malacia left as a free agent.
It’s why United have maintained an interest in Lewis Hall throughout, while reluctantly accepting that it would be a difficult deal to execute in this window when so much of the budget has been committed to the midfield rebuild. Newcastle are determined to keep hold of Hall after selling Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, and it would take a bid of more than £75million to make them even consider letting the 21-year-old leave Tyneside.
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Unless United can come up with that kind of money before the window closes at 11pm on Tuesday, the club will have to postpone any bid for Hall – as they did with Baleba, signing the 22-year-old Cameroon international for £70million a year after being put off by Brighton’s demand for £100million-plus.
But then what? It would seem reckless to head into the rest of a busy season that sees Michael Carrick’s team back in Champions League action without bringing in competition – or at least cover – for Shaw. Even if he regains his form and stays fit, it’s asking too much of him to start every game again – especially as United will have to play significantly more matches this season than the 40 (also known as the bare minimum) of last season.
United are believed to have assessed other options besides Hall, including Brighton’s Ferdi Kadioglu, Ian Maatsen of Aston Villa and Racing Santander’s Jorge Salinas.
United are in for Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, but it would take a bid of more than £75million to make them even consider letting the 21-year-old leave Tyneside
Brighton full back Ferdi Kadioglu (centre) is also on United’s list if they cannot convince Newcastle to sell Hall
Racing Santander’s Jorge Salinas is another player United have assessed
Perhaps their best bet as the clock continues to tick down is a loan deal. United have looked at Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde, but their options are limited at this stage of the window. So too, however, are the alternatives if no deal can be done. Right backs Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are both capable of switching to the left, where Mazraoui plays for Morocco.
Patrick Dorgu was signed as a left wing-back but has performed better in a more advanced position. Academy graduate Harry Amass was Shaw’s understudy in pre-season and could continue in that role if United decide to keep him amid interest from Burnley. Martinez has also played there and Baleba, a left-footed defensive midfielder, has even been mentioned as a makeshift left back.
But if United have genuine title aspirations, as Shaw says, it seems like an unnecessary gamble not to sign another specialist defender in his position.
The bulk of United’s defensive overhaul will have to wait until next summer, even though conceding two set-piece goals in the opening-day defeat at Hull was alarming, and Martinez was punished for his sloppiness when Ipswich scored their second goal on Sunday. On the evidence of that game, attack may be United’s best form of defence this season.
The only other potential business at Old Trafford on deadline day would be a replacement for Joshua Zirkzee if the Dutch forward returns to Italy. Otherwise, all eyes will be on left back and whether United stick or twist.