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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Omar Garrick

Three transfer options Manchester United should explore to solve their right-back weakness

Manchester United are stuck in a rut and it would be harsh to point the blame at just one individual.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken a hefty amount of criticism after United picked up just one Premier League win in their last six outings, though the players should definitely be taking some of the blame.

After all, they're the ones who've been churning out abject displays, regardless of the formation or system they've been asked to play in.

A lot of fans have pinpointed the club's inability to sign a defensive midfielder as their biggest mistake in the summer transfer window, though their failure to sign another right-back certainly hasn't helped their cause.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, we thought we'd take a look at the right-back options Solskjaer should be monitoring before looking to bolster his arsenal.

1. Kieran Trippier

This is probably the most obvious one given the previous links.

United were desperate to thrash out a deal for Kieran Trippier in the summer, but Atletico Madrid's lofty asking price meant nothing ever came of the pursuit.

Trippier offers bags of experience and would be a very smart purchase given the attacking nous he'd be able to pass onto Wan-Bissaka as well offering competition for the right-back spot.

Trippier has been regularly linked with a move to United ((Photo by Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
If Atletico Madrid continue to demand the £30 million they were asking for in the summer then I think United would be smart to walk away once again, but with his contract ticking down a cut-price fee could possibly be agreed.

2. Max Aarons

At just 21 years of age, Max Aarons already feels like a veteran of the Norwich City backline.

If he was in a better side with better players I think he'd absolutely shine because he'd have runners around him. At Norwich, he doesn't really have that and whenever I've seen them play they look quite static and afraid to move out of their shape.

Max Aarons has impressed during his time at Norwich City ((Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images))

United boast an abundance of wide forwards who can offer runs in behind and I think Aarons' ability to get forward and offer overlapping runs could be just what we need.

If Norwich get relegated or he pines for a move to a bigger side, United would be mad not to try and sign him.

3. Zeki Celik

Zeki Celik was absolutely superb last season for Lille as they lifted the Ligue 1 title ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.

The Turkey international is renowned for his overlapping runs down the right-hand channel and is a constant threat going forward.

Despite a number of clubs lodging their interest in him over the summer, Celik decided to stay at Lille. At just 24, he has plenty of time to develop and could become one of the most reliable full-backs in Europe over the next few years.

Wan-Bissaka is better defensively than Celik but the Lille man offers much more going forward. Similar to the impact Trippier could have at United, the Turkish full-back could be the perfect option for United to use when they come up against lesser sides before switching to Wan-Bissaka when they want to sit in and hit teams on the counter.

Which right-back do you want United to sign? Follow our United On My Mind writer Omar Garrick on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.

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