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Manchester United may have kept their Champions League campaign alive but manager Erik ten Hag still has plenty of problems to deal with.
The defence has been riddled with injuries with only only one out of four permanent full-backs fit at the moment while the situation on the wings is also dire.
Antony has struggled to have any impact since his return while Jadon Sancho remains banished after failing to apologise to the manager.
United’s problems on the wings and at the back
The Brazilian needs to be dropped but there are no readymade replacements while the Englishman’s time at the club could be coming to an end as early as January.
Diogo Dalot has been overworked, which does not seem to be changing anytime soon. Aaron Wan-Bissaka remains sidelined and the earliest he might return is next month.
United could be about to solve both problems with the addition of one player. As per Fichajes, the Red Devils are looking at a January transfer for Nahuel Molina of Atletico Madrid.
The World Cup winner can play as a right-back or further forward if required and while he is not the most prolific, he is a hard worker and diligent with whatever duties he has been assigned with.
A transfer will not be as easy as it seems with Diego Simeone hoping to keep a hold of his compatriot while Premier League side Aston Villa are ahead of United in the race.
“Among the clubs interested in Atleti players, Aston Villa stands out, which has set its sights on Nahuel Molina. Although they are not the only ones, the Villans have taken the lead in the race to acquire the services of the Argentine right-back.
“Nahuel Molina has been an object of desire for Premier League clubs for some time, with Manchester United also showing interest. However, it seems that Aston Villa are one step ahead and are looking to close the deal in January.”
The versatile Argentine recently signed a contract extension until 2027 and has a market value of €50 million, a figure English clubs will have little trouble paying.
Nahuel Molina race heating up
The report also states that Atletico are concerned with the kind of attention Molina is receiving and they are contemplating over a new agreement with the player which would see his release clause tripled in a bid to ward of Premier League interest.
“The growing international attention has led to speculation about a possible early renewal of Molina’s contract with Atlético.
“Currently, the player has a termination clause of 30 million euros, and the intention would be to raise it to 90 million, with the purpose of retaining him and deterring competition.”
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the months to come.