Erik ten Hag makes final decision on Aaron Wan-Bissaka future, as Man Utd replacement link unearthed
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has learned his fate for the January transfer window after being linked with an exit from Manchester United, according to reports.
Man Utd signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace for £50million in 2019. He played 46 times in all competitions during his debut season, starting all but one of his 35 Premier League outings.
His gametime increased further in 2020-21, when he managed 54 appearances in total. Once again, he started 34 league matches, even scoring his first two goals for the club.
Things haven’t been as kind to Wan-Bissaka since then, though. He only managed 26 appearances last season, including just 20 league starts.
And since Erik ten Hag took charge over the summer, Wan-Bissaka has struggled even more. He had to wait until December 27 for his first league start of the season.
With just six appearances to his name in 2022-23, the right-back has been facing an uncertain future. There have been rumours that he could return to Crystal Palace, or head off for a new challenge with Wolves.
At the start of the month, sources claimed Wan-Bissaka was indeed up for sale. And just a few days ago, it was suggested that Man Utd were willing to accept a loan offer from the latter.
But it appears there has been a sudden change of plan. According to the Daily Mail, it now looks more likely that United will be keeping Wan-Bissaka – and by their own choice.
The report claims that he is starting to win Ten Hag over after starting all three of their Premier League games since Christmas.
Wan-Bissaka has taken advantage of the unavailability of Diogo Dalot. As such, Ten Hag now seems him as someone he can turn to with more confidence when the Portugal international is absent.
With that in mind, the Man Utd manager has decided to keep Wan-Bissaka at his disposal. The defender remains under contract until 2024, with the option of a further year.
Although he would have been open to an exit as this transfer window began, the 25-year-old now looks set to stay, unless he starts pushing for an exit later in the month.
But Man Utd are starting to cool their interest in some of the potential replacements they were looking into.
Man Utd could have replaced Aaron Wan-Bissaka with Wolves counterpart
One, the report has revealed for the first time, could have been Nelson Semedo. Currently at Wolves, he could have moved in the opposite direction to Wan-Bissaka.
The Portugal international will be out of contract with Wolves at the end of the season unless they activate their option to extend his stay.
Hence, Semedo might have been a gettable option. Now 29 years old, he would have brought plenty of experience with him to Old Trafford after also previously playing for Benfica and Barcelona.
Semedo has made 83 appearances since joining Wolves, scoring twice. This season, he has played 20 times in all competitions, making him more active than Wan-Bissaka.
According to the Daily Mail, though, Man Utd will no longer be considering a move for Semedo. That said, Wolves could still look for other clubs to sell him to this month.
It remains to be seen who they could replace him with, though, if Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been taken off the market.
Indeed, the former England youth international will now be aiming to add to his 132 Man Utd appearances. His next could come in the derby against Manchester City on Saturday.
Wan-Bissaka will be under no illusion that a healthy Dalot will still be ahead of him in Ten Hag’s pecking order. But the Dutch tactician will no longer be so reluctant to turn to the number 29.
If things go back to how they were a few months ago, Wan-Bissaka has plenty of time to consider his future. But January is always a difficult window for clubs to let players go, so it isn’t too surprising that Man Utd are now planning to see out the season with him among their ranks.
