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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Dan Marsh

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United exit plan confirms £50million transfer mistake

Manchester United have already axed Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the January transfer window - and Erik ten Hag has identified another player he is happy to move on in the New Year.

The Dutchman is expected to continue remoulding his squad once the market reopens after the World Cup; and although incomings are likely to be the main focus, it is anticipated that others could join Ronaldo in departing Old Trafford ahead of the second half of the season.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is one name who has been on the fringes all season in the wake of Diogo Dalot's resurgence. And the former Crystal Palace man now looks primed for a move away.

That's according to a report in The Telegraph, which claims that Ten Hag views Wan-Bissaka as 'surplus to requirements.' The former Ajax chief has designs on acquiring another right-back to compete with Dalot in January, but any move will hinge on getting Wan-Bissaka off the books.

Wan-Bissaka has struggled to live up to expectations since his £50million switch from the Eagles back in the summer of 2019. The 24-year-old has only featured for four minutes under Ten Hag this season and was linked with a cut-price move back to Crystal Palace in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Ten Hag was happy to let the defender leave before he was talked around by football director John Murtough - but there is unlikely to be another reprieve for Wan-Bissaka in the New Year.

Both Tyrell Malacia and Victor Lindelof have featured at right-back ahead of Wan-Bissaka at times this season, underlining how far the former Palace man has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Join the debate! Do you think Wan-Bissaka should be offloaded by Man Utd in January? Let us know here.

The Red Devils have previously been linked with AS Monaco right-back Vanderson and Barcelona's Sergino Dest. However, it is currently unclear whether United plan to rekindle their interest in either player or whether fresh targets have since been identified.

Ronaldo's abrupt exit - which was confirmed in a statement on Tuesday night - is likely to give Ten Hag some flexibility to operate in the transfer market.

United spent significantly in the summer following Ten Hag's arrival. Over £200m was spent on six new recruits but it was always likely that other new faces would follow in future transfer windows.

It is estimated that Ronaldo will miss out on around £16m in wages after he agreed to rip up the final six months of the lucrative two-year contract he penned last summer - funds that could now be handed to Ten Hag in the New Year to aid United in their quest to bag a top-four finish.

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