August 21st 2024.
It appears that there are some issues for Ten Hag in a specific area of the field. According to reports, Manchester United has been given the opportunity to acquire Ben Chilwell, as the Chelsea star was surprisingly let go by Blues manager Enzo Maresca. Chilwell, who is 27 years old, was not included in the squad for Chelsea's first game of the season against Manchester City on Sunday. Last week, Maresca had revealed that he had advised the English international to seek a new club.
In fact, Maresca reiterated these comments on Wednesday, stating that Chilwell will have a tough time this season as he and Raheem Sterling are not part of his future plans. On the other hand, Manchester United has been contemplating bringing in another left-back, as their current options for that position are once again unavailable. Tyrell Malacia, who has not played since May 2023, is still recovering from a knee injury, while Luke Shaw is once again sidelined with a calf injury. In their recent game against Fulham, Diogo Dalot filled in at left-back, with new signing Noussair Mazraoui starting on the right.
With concerns about Shaw's ability to stay fit this season, it has been reported that Chilwell has been offered to Manchester United. Chilwell joined Chelsea in 2020 for a five-year deal worth £45 million, but has had his fair share of injury troubles. It seems likely that he will depart from Chelsea this month.
Last season, the former Leicester City star only made 21 appearances in all competitions, with only 13 of those being starts, due to recurring hamstring and knee problems. During the 2022-23 season, he was limited to just 15 starts in the Premier League. Chilwell also missed a significant portion of the 2021-22 season due to a cruciate ligament tear. It is clear that Maresca has made it known that Chilwell is not in his plans for the team.
Maresca stated, "With Chilly, he is a great guy, but he will struggle. Some may perceive this as harsh, but for me, it is just being honest. I am not saying that Raheem is not a good player, but I prefer different types of wingers, which is why he is not needed on our team. It is an uncomfortable situation, and I understand how he feels, but if he decides to stay, he will have a hard time getting playing time."
Meanwhile, Manchester United is still looking to make at least one more signing before the transfer window closes. However, their focus at the moment is on acquiring another midfielder, with Manuel Ugarte being their top target. In a similar situation last season, Ten Hag's team brought in an emergency left-back option in the form of Sergio Reguilon on a six-month loan deal.
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