Man Utd handed perfect opportunity to sign Frimpong alternative

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 30 Jan 2024 10:31 GMT
• 4 min read

Manchester United have been handed the perfect opportunity to sign an Aaron Wan-Bissaka upgrade following reports that Marseille have put Jonathan Clauss up for sale.

The France international was linked with a move to both Chelsea and Man Utd before leaving RC Lens for Marseille in 2022, and he has now been deemed surplus to requirements by Gennaro Gattuso, according to L’Equipe.

Clauss, 31, has two goals and six assists in 24 Ligue 1 and Europa League appearances so far this season as he continues to be a threat in the attacking third, but Marseille are ready to offload him.

Just like Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong, the Frenchman is best as a right wing-back and with Frimpong potentially unattainable for now, Man Utd would be wise to sign Clauss instead.

Arsenal are also interested in signing Frimpong, while Real Madrid have been touted to move for the Dutchman as they look for a long-term heir to Daniel Carvajal.

As a result, Man Utd may find it tricky to win the race for the Leverkusen defender, and pursuing Clauss would be a sensible alternative.

Why Man Utd should sign Jonathan Clauss

Clauss has been on Man Utd’s radar since 2022, with the Red Devils pursuing him before he opted to remain in Ligue 1 after leaving Lens.

The Frenchman was also courted by Chelsea, but he turned the Blues down as “Marseille ticked all the boxes,” he revealed after the transfer.

However, Clauss is now deemed to be a sellable asset by the Ligue 1 club and Man Utd should pounce.

Right-back is clearly an area of concern for Erik ten Hag, with Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot his current options at Old Trafford and links with an upgrade prevalent.

Clauss therefore ticks that box and he could provide Man Utd with some much-needed creativity down the right flank.

Antony has failed to impress since his €95 million move from Ajax in 2022 and he only notched his first goal contributions of the 2023-24 season during Man Utd’s 4-2 FA Cup win over Newport County on Sunday.

However, the Red Devils will likely have to persist with the Brazilian due to the huge fee they paid to sign him. As a result, adding a quality right-back is a necessity as Antony’s creative numbers are extremely low.

Clauss is the perfect player to fill that void, with the Marseille man possessing a wicked cross from the right flank and brilliant assist numbers.

In his past four full league seasons, Clauss’ lowest tally of assists in a single campaign is six, while he has 27 assists in Ligue 1 and European action since the start of the 2021-22 season.

By comparison, Bruno Fernandes has 28 assists in the Premier League and European competitions across the same time period.

Clauss is a brilliant weapon in the final third and Man Utd would be wise to pounce on his current situation at Marseille and land one of the best attacking right-backs in world football. His age may be a problem, but as a short-term signing, there aren't any better options on the market.