Manchester United are poised to shift their interest towards Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has been identified as their ideal alternative for Kieran Trippier.
According to Mirror, Manchester United could set their sights on Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka following growing complications over their pursuit of Tottenham right-back Kieran Trippier. It is believed that the Red Devils could find it difficult to negotiate a deal with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy over Trippier’s potential sale this summer, although Mauricio Pochettino is not reluctant to keep hold of the player.
But, with Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer urging the Manchester United hierarchy to finish their transfer activity early, Wan-Bissaka, 21, appears as an appealing alternative to Trippier.
The Premier League giants have had difficulties over their lack of depth in the fullback department for the past couple of years. And those problems could escalate as Antonio Valencia is leaving the club this summer while it is believed that Solskjaer does not hold the young Diogo Dalot at high esteem.
Hence, both Trippier and Wan-Bissaka are viable options for the Red Devils. But, making a move for the latter would make more sense from Manchester United’s perspectives for multiple reasons.
For one, the Crystal Palace defender is only 21 and will be able to offer the prospect for the future. It could also tune in well with Solskjaer’s apparent plan to build his squad around young British talents next season. Trippier, in that regard, is already 28 years old and is unlikely to last more three-four years at the top of his game.
The biggest point, however, is that Wan-Bissaka is a defence-oriented fullback, who unlike Trippier, is well aware of his defensive chores. The 21-year-old notably made 129 tackles, which is third most by any player in the Premier League during the 2018/19 campaign. And this serves as an indicator of his willingness to win back possession for his team.
Trippier, on the other hand, has visibly struggled to deal with the defensive pressure, especially against dynamic attackers and that was rather evident in his performance against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final. And this could be a problem for Manchester United, who often implement a left-sided overload, with Luke Shaw getting forward at every opportunity.
To compensate this, the right-back often operates in a relatively deeper role, helping out the central defenders when needed. But given Trippier’s tendencies to venture forward, the English international might leave tons of space in behind.
Things could be much more different and effective with Wan-Bissaka. The Palace defender usually stays back, and his astute defensive nature means the United defence will be further solidified with the addition of this English whizkid.
That being said, Wan-Bissaka is expected to cost around £45 million, which is significantly more than Trippier’s reported valuation of £30 million. But, financial resources haven’t historically been a problem for Manchester United, and at the tender age of just 21, Wan-Bissaka could be a smart long-term investment for the Red Devils.
However, it remains unclear whether or not the young defender will be able to cope with United’s soaring expectations given his lack of experience in the highest level of football – something Trippier is more likely to achieve.