Manchester United Left-Back Keen On Securing A Loan Move: Should Solskjaer Let Him Go? | OneFootball

Recent reports from the Mirror suggest that Manchester United left-back Brandon Williams is keen on leaving on a season-long loan for the 2021/22 season despite an ankle injury to team-mate Alex Telles.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to keep him as the backup option to Luke Shaw; however, it seems as if the 20-year-old has his heart set on a temporary move away from Old Trafford.

“That is football. We’ve got kids wanting to play, of course. Brandon has done well in the left-back position.” – Solskjaer said.

Southampton and Newcastle United are among the possible destinations for the promising youngster.

Williams’ Lack Of Game Time At Old Trafford

Following Alex Telles’ arrival from Porto last summer and Luke Shaw’s phenomenal form, Brandon Williams managed to play for just 187 minutes in the Premier League last term.

Queens Park Rangers v Manchester United, ManU Pre-Season Friendly 24/07/2021. Manchester United defender Brandon Williams 33 during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, London, England on 24 July 2021. Editorial use only DataCo restrictions apply See www.football-dataco.com PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK , Copyright: xIanxStephenx PSI-13068-0178

The teenager was expected to leave on loan midway through the season as many of his teammates opted for the same, but a deal never quite materialised. Instead, he ended up being the second choice to right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the latter half of the season.

Nonetheless, first-team football seems to be his topmost priority at the moment as he wants to continue with the development. Williams managed to put up some decent numbers on the board by averaging 0.3 interceptions, 1 clearance, 0.3 key passes, 0.5 long balls, and 0.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.

Should Solskjaer Let Him Go?

Halting the youngster’s progress in order to cover up for a short-term injury makes very little sense whatsoever.

It’s beyond any doubt that Luke Shaw will be United’s first-choice left-back in the forthcoming season, and with Alex Telles expected to be back in September, the present scenario shouldn’t be a huge concern for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

At 20, Williams has a lot to learn, so a loan move might suit all the parties involved. He has got the potential to be one of the best wing-backs in the league, and regular game time will undoubtedly help him work on his error-prone nature.

(Stats from WhoScored)