As the season begins to unwind for Manchester United and a place for a top four finish looks out of the question, fans of the Red Devils will be hoping that a revolution begins in the summer.
Ralf Rangnick, current interim boss of Manchester United, has agreed a new role as Austria’s head coach, but will remain in his consultancy position at Old Trafford, working with new manager Erik Ten Hag from July 1 onwards.
The German coach has been vocal about the squad’s lack of quality, athleticism, power and aggression, as well as hinting at how a change in player and talent identification needs to take shape.
He is the only manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired 10 years ago who has been so vocal and public about the club’s misgivings and mistakes from top to bottom. It is absolutely essential that if the Board want to take Manchester United back to the top of English football, they must allow Rangnick and Ten Hag full autonomy to run the football department.
While many players will be targeted from home and abroad, Manchester United have two players with an opportunity to come straight into the fold at Old Trafford.
James Garner, who has been on a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest, and Ethan Laird, who has played with both Swansea City and AFC Bournemouth, have showcased their ability to make the transition into the first team and compete.
Garner, who plays as a defensive midfielder, has perhaps the better change due to Manchester United’s dire need of recruiting in that area this summer. With Nemanja Matić having said he is leaving at the end of the season and Paul Pogba looking ever so likely to join him, the Red Devils need fresh faces.
Ten Hag is likely going to bring in a midfielder or two, but Garner will have the opportunity to impress in pre-season before a decision is made on him as to whether he stays or goes. The most important detail for the club is to make sure he is continually developing.
Garner has showcased his impress dead-ball delivery this season for Forest by taking the reins over free kicks and corners. The England youth international has proven himself to be an asset in a department where Manchester United are sorely lacking.
Laird, on the other hand, might have a bit more of a struggle in breaking through and taking the number one right back position from the off. With Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka still at the club, Ten Hag is going to need to see Laird’s levels in pre-season before deciding what to do with him.
It is said that Crystal Palace are closely monitoring Wan-Bissaka’s situation this summer, and would be interested in a season-long loan move for the right back. Signed for £50 million three years ago, Manchester United have not seen the London-born defender improve, especially in the final third where he looks discombobulated at the best of times.
Laird provides a great attacking output for Manchester United as well as a defensive rigidity. Dalot can provide the former, at times, but consistently looks out of place and without tactical awareness throughout games. It is widely-reported that AC Milan would, again, be interested in reopening talks with Manchester United about a permanent deal for the Portugal international.
Manchester United will not want to leave themselves short and will bring in a variety of different players from across Europe this summer, but in Laird and Garner they have two young, hungry, versatile and ambitious footballers who want to see the club they grew up at succeed.
Time will tell whether Ten Hag sees them as an integral part of his squad for next season, but they fit the profile of what Manchester United should be looking at this summer in order to get out of the depths they are in.