Aaron Wan-Bissaka may be set to depart Old Trafford this summer as it’s revealed Manchester United have already received two enquiries from Premier League clubs over the right-back.
The Manchester Evening News contends both Crystal Palace and West Ham have made approaches to United over their interest in the 26-year-old, who appears to have fallen behind Diogo Dalot in Erik ten Hag’s favoured eleven this season.
Wan-Bissaka had re-established himself as the number one right-back at Old Trafford in the second half of last season after, again, losing his place. Early in the Dutchman’s debut season in England, Ten Hag consistently selected Dalot ahead of his English teammate.
But a hamstring injury sustained by Dalot playing for Portugal during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar gave Wan-Bissaka a “mini-revival”, which he seized with both hands.
And after Dalot was hooked at half-time of the Carabao Cup final and replaced by Wan-Bissaka, the former Crystal Palace star largely maintained the starting role for the remainder of the year. The 26-year-old’s selection in the crucial FA Cup final match against Manchester City – important as much for the two clubs’ legacies as it was for the trophy itself – underscored Ten Hag’s renewed faith in Wan-Bissaka.
Wan-Bissaka continued as first-choice at the beginning of this season. Consecutive starts against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest and Arsenal were then ended by being selected as a substitute against Brighton. The 26-year-old was brought on in the second half and sustained a hamstring injury which ruled him out for the next two months.
In this time, it was Dalot’s turn to seize the opportunity to stake a claim in Ten Hag’s mind with both hands.
The Portuguese fullback has been a permanent fixture in the Dutchman’s side since this point; a rare point of consistency in a defensive unit blighted by continued absence and injury. When Wan-Bissaka returned from injury in November, Dalot has still been largely favoured at right-back between the two.
Indeed, many of Wan-Bissaka’s appearances in his favoured position have come as a result of Dalot being shifted over to left-back to cover long-term absentees, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. This positional versatility is believed to make Dalot a highly-prized asset amongst the United coaching staff.
The Portuguese international’s professional approach and mentality are “setting the standard” this season at Old Trafford. Sources at the club revealed Dalot is meticulous in his preparation and recovery habits, often staying late at Carrington after team training to work on individual aspects to his game.
With Ten Hag desperately attempting to instil an expectation of hard work and commitment as a base minimum in the United dressing room, it’s no wonder a player with Dalot’s work-ethic was rewarded with a new contract towards the end of last season. It’s the exact same principle which drove Jadon Sancho out of the club; and may soon be set to do the same to Wan-Bissaka.
While there are no reports to suggest Wan-Bissaka is a bad trainer or possesses an unprofessional approach, there aren’t any sources suggesting he excels in these domains either.
Furthermore, sources with the club’s media team indicate it is a constant battle to get the 26-year-old to actively “engage with in-house media commitments.” The Manchester Evening News recounts one example from United’s pre-season tour where Wan-Bissaka was so brief in his responses that a twenty minute interview covered fifty questions.
Dalot, by comparison, is such a willing engager with the media that the club are privately concerned he may be “overtaxed” by his constant interviews and press-conferences. This is not a particularly important point of comparison from a football perspective, but it is one which speaks to the active and engaged nature of the Portuguese fullback in comparison to his quieter, more reserved English teammate.
While Dalot received a new five-year deal in May, Wan-Bissaka simply received an automatic one-year extension to his pre-existing deal this month. An inference can be drawn about the players’ long-term futures at Old Trafford from these simple contract differences.
The Manchester Evening News contends this move was “more to maintain [Wan-Bissaka’s] resale value” than anything else. The 26-year-old’s deal had previously been set to expire at the end of the season, prior to the one-year extension.
And with United planning a comprehensive overhaul of their defensive unit this summer, Old Trafford officials are believed to be targeting one if not two centre-backs and a fullback. With Palace and West Ham circling around Wan-Bissaka, United may be tempted to cash in on a player who has never been a comfortable fit in Ten Hag’s style.
Dalot, with both his superior technical ability and highly professional approach, as well as his positional versatility, appears more suited to the Dutch manager; especially if a new right-back is purchased. Reports suggest United are closely monitoring Jeremie Frimpong – who has enjoyed a stellar season at Bayer Leverkusen this year – and Dalot would make a far more suitable back-up than Wan-Bissaka.
