Football365
·25 August 2023
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·25 August 2023
Ryan Bertrand has been linked with a short-term move to Manchester United.
Manchester United have reportedly added former Chelsea left-back Ryan Bertrand to their list of transfer targets after Luke Shaw picked up an injury.
The Red Devils have brought in Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund so far this summer as Erik ten Hag looks to move players out before he can spend.
Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay, Dean Henderson and others have been linked with transfers away from the club this summer with Man Utd ideally hoping to bring in another midfielder and centre-back, and maybe even a striker, before the deadline.
But their priorities could shift slightly after Shaw picked up a muscular injury with reports originally ruling him out for weeks and not months.
When asked if they have potential ways of solving Shaw’s absence in the current squad, Ten Hag told a press conference on Friday: “Definitely, we have the solutions in our squad to cope with that. We thought before the season about this scenario, it could happen, you hope to avoid. But if it happens you have to be ready for it.
“That is the situation, it’s normal, top football, you got to the limits, injuries coming up, always disappointing but you have to deal with it and construct a squad. And deal with it.”
One possible solution could be to dip into the transfer market for a short-term solution with the Manchester Evening News reporting today that is likely to be the case.
And the MEN have now said in a seperate report that Man Utd fear Shaw’s injury is ‘worse than first thought’ and ‘could be out for up to two months’.
The report adds: ‘United are in the market for a left-back due to the potentially lengthy timeframe of Shaw’s absence and United are now without a senior out-and-out left-back.’
And now former Chelsea defender Bertrand, who was released by Leicester City in the summer, has been added to their ’emergency transfer shortlist’.
The Daily Express claims that Man Utd have been ‘have been forced into the transfer market’ and Bertrand is ‘among the names being considered by senior figures at Old Trafford, with the club trying to reinforce the position before next week’s transfer deadline’.
The report adds: ‘Talks are still at an early stage, but contact has been made with the player’s entourage regarding what would be a surprising free transfer.’
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed on Thursday that Bertrand is “fully fit” after training with Chelsea’s loan development squad in recent weeks.
Romano wrote on Twitter: “Ryan Bertrand, fully fit and now training at Chelsea loan development group Bertrand will be making a decision on his next step interest from England, Europe and Middle East — as he’s free agent now.”