Ten Hag already has his answer to Man Utd’s midfield problem – and it’s not Gravenberch
Robin Bairner
- 23 Aug 2023 06:38 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United continue to be linked with a transfer for Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, but given the limitations placed upon manager Erik ten Hag in the market, he would be well advised to start taking a more intense look at his side’s U23 side.
Ten Hag already has in his ranks the type of player that Man Utd were crying out for as they lost to Tottenham last weekend but has chosen not to use him. No, it’s not Scott McTominay, who was pinned to the bench, or Donny van de Beek, who was nowhere to be seen during the reverse, but Hannibal Mejbri.
The lack of dynamism in the middle of Man Utd’s team was exposed in an embarrassing fashion by Spurs and particularly left-back Destiny Udogie, who steamed past five Red Devils in one swashbuckling run. Among the players he broke past were Mason Mount and Casemiro, the pair anointed as Ten Hag’s starting central midfielders at least until another addition is made.
Bayern Munich’s Gravenberch is considered one option, but after being made a virtual outcast at the Allianz Arena, where he arrived with much pomp 12 months ago to make only six starts, questions have to be raised as to whether he’s necessarily the player to come in and have an instant impact.
He certainly fits the prototype of a Ten Hag signing, played in the Eredivisie under Ten Hag at Ajax. Indeed, of all the eight permanent signings that the Man Utd boss has made, six have played in the Netherlands’ top flight. Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund are the exceptions.
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But Bayern’s use of him is hardly a ringing endorsement of a player who departed Ajax so well thought of. Gravenberch may well rediscover his form, but Man Utd need someone to hit the ground running given their slow start to the season.
Mejbri would allow them to do that if plucked from the reserves.
Mejbri offers Ten Hag an obvious answer
The 20-year-old Tunisia international has long been earmarked as a start of the future but has managed just three appearances for Man Utd’s top team. He spent last season out on loan in the Championship with Birmingham, where he played 38 matches, scoring once, creating five and picking up 10 bookings.
Those yellow cards point to the type of player Mejbri is: energetic and spikey. These are two qualities that Ten Hag could use right now.
Udogie would not have had the chance to make his daring run at the weekend if he were about. He might not have made a successful tackle, but he would have broken up play with a bustling effort to rob possession.
Instead, he had played 90 minutes the previous night for the U21s against Leeds.
Ten Hag has said that he wants to use Man Utd’s academy more. Well, Mejbri offers him the perfect chance to show it instead of once again leaning on his old Ajax crutch to sign Gravenberch.
