EXCLUSIVE: Ten Hag targets PSG defender Mukiele as Man Utd's January priority becomes clear
Steve Kay
- Updated: 6 Oct 2023 16:12 CDT
- 3 min read
Exclusive
Erik Ten Hag wants to bring in a right back to Manchester United in January and sees Paris Saint-Germain defender Nordi Mukiele as a viable target, FootballTransfers has been told.
The Dutchman is a fan of the Frenchman’s versatility, given that he can play at centre-back either on the right or left, while he also has been deployed on the flank before.
Mukiele signed from RB Leipzig in 2022 for £13.5million but has so far struggled to earn first-team football for the French giants. We are informed that the club had weighed up making an offer for Mukiele last summer when Ten Hag first arrived. But ultimately the former Ajax coach wanted to hand chances to Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan Bissaka, while the 25-year-old ended up at PSG.
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However, it’s our information that Ten Hag is not a fan of Wan-Bissaka’s temperament, believing that the former England international does not have the personality conducive to forging a successful side.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag also believes Dalot lacks physicality and defensive stability, as shown during Wilfred Zaha’s goal for Galatasaray in the Champions League mid-week.
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Ten Hag weighs up January options
The head coach is looking to solidify his defence during the January window but may have to make good use of funds and purchase players who can be positioned in a variety of roles.
Harry Maguire remains at the club despite Ten Hag’s wishes and it’s his continued presence which means that Man Utd are held back in offering new recruits contracts.
Any departure of the former Red Devils captain would open up a slot for a new face to come into the setup at Old Trafford. Mukiele has featured in just a single game for PSG so far this season, being on the pitch for just seven minutes in all competitions.
The defender is known to be a competent player but question marks persist over his consistency.
