Donny van de Beek and Dean Henderson tipped to be sold in January window | OneFootball

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The Peoples Person

·28 November 2021

Donny van de Beek and Dean Henderson tipped to be sold in January window

Article image:Donny van de Beek and Dean Henderson tipped to be sold in January window

With the January transfer window less than five weeks away and a new manager about to take the reins at Manchester United, attention is already turning to whether funds will be available for squad improvements.

Godfather of the gegenpress, Ralf Rangnick, is expected to take up his interim position as United boss imminently and following the acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho this summer, it seems unlikely that there will be much available to him in the transfer kitty.


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So, according to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, ‘Manchester United will look to offload players before considering arrivals to their squad in the January transfer window.’

The reporter claims that ‘Donny van de Beek and Dean Henderson, who have not featured heavily this season, will be considered for moves which would allow Rangnick to freshen up a squad that has dropped into mid-table.

Jesse Lingard is more likely to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.’

It would certainly seem true that Lingard could see out the rest of his contract. A reporter from the same outlet has tweeted that he might enjoy a renaissance at United under Rangnick as he is a player well-suited to the type of high pressing game that the German plays.

In addition, with only six months left on his contract, United would not be able to demand much of a transfer fee for the academy graduate.

The suggestion that Van de Beek will be sold at this stage is a curious one. From the player’s point of view, it is a clean slate and an opportunity to finally nail down a regular place in the first team after being unfancied by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

It also does not make sense from the club’s point of view to sell the Dutchman now.

Like Lingard, Paul Pogba is also entering the last six months of his contract and Van de Beek is a quality replacement should he leave. His acquisition in the first place was in part because it was expected that the Frenchman would be sold.

Perhaps more importantly, Solskjaer’s refusal to give the 24-year-old minutes has seen his market value plummet from a maximum of €55 million in December 2019 to just €25 million now.

McGrath does not reveal his reasons and/or sources for his claim that the Dutchman is set to be sold. Perhaps it is a case of club and player cutting their losses. But it seems to make little sense.

Henderson’s sale, on the other hand, does have more logic to it. His market value of €22 million is similar to that of Van de Beek, but is at its peak, and a reasonable one for a keeper. David de Gea’s rediscovered form has left the Englishman warming the bench and so barring an injury to the former, a move for the latter could be in everyone’s best interests.

Whether the sort of funds raised from such sales will be enough for Rangnick to be able to strengthen in other areas remains to be seen. It would not be an easy manouevre at the best of times, let alone in a post-Covid January window.

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