Erik ten Hag feels too early to decide on permanent moves for Manchester United duo Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed that it is too early to decide whether the loan moves of Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer will be made permanent.
The Holland and Austria internationals joined the Red Devils on a temporary basis in January. In recent fixtures, the duo have been pivotal to the gaffer’s plans at the Old Trafford side.
Erik ten Hag feels too early to decide on permanent moves for Manchester United duo Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
However, speaking to the media via Manchester Evening News, has declined to comment on whether the Manchester-based club will look to sign Weghorst and Sabitzer in the upcoming transfer window.
Erik ten Hag feels it is too early to decide on the permanent moves for Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
“I think it’s much too quick, much too soon to talk about that. First, we are in this season. That is where the only focus has to be. No distractions for what is coming next season.”
United have got the Dutch and Austrian nationals at the club only until the end of the season. The Red Devils do not have an option or obligation to buy either of them next summer.
Weghorst arrived from Burnley last month after cutting short his loan with Besiktas. With the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo earlier in the season, the 30-year-old has been a decent stop-gap signing.
Also, Anthony Martial has been on the sidelines for most of the season. Therefore, the Holland international has enjoyed regular minutes in the starting lineup in recent weeks.
Erik ten Hag hails Manchester United on loan midfielder Marcel Sabitzer as “outstanding”. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
As for Sabitzer, he made his way to Manchester on the previous transfer window’s deadline day. It was a wise move considering Christian Eriksen injured himself last month for a considerable period.
During that period, Casemiro also picked up a red card in the Premier League. Therefore, the 28-year-old’s addition proved to be important. The Austrian has put in some decent shifts in the opportunities the gaffer has provided him.
Weghorst and Sabitzer’s addition has evidently added much-needed depth to our squad. But will we sign the two or pursue other targets to add more quality to the team next summer? It remains to be seen.
Diogo Dalot says Anthony Elanga is one of the most professional footballers he has ever known.
Manchester United could rotate the team for this week’s FA Cup tie against West Ham. After games against Barcelona and Newcastle, with Liverpool away upcoming, Erik ten Hag needs to utilise his squad.
One player who will be desperate for minutes is Anthony Elanga, who was not even named on the bench at the weekend.
United kept Elanga in the transfer window instead of sending him out on loan. So this FA Cup fifth round tie might be one where he gets a chance, at least as a substitute.
One Erik ten Hag won’t get from Elanga is sulking about being left out. His attitude has been praised by Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot.
Dalot praises Elanga
Speaking in an interview released shortly ahead of the Carabao Cup final, Dalot talked up Elanga’s approach behind the scenes.
The right-back told the club website that he is confident Elanga will seize his opportunities and praised his training performances.
He explained: “Anthony Elanga, for me, is probably one of the most professional guys that I’ve known since I started football.
“I also see a lot of myself in him in terms of trying to wait for the opportunity to come and show to everyone that you are capable of doing it.
“He never lost his way of showing everyone he is here to help and he is here to play and he’s been doing that every single day in training. I am sure the opportunity will come and he will be ready for it.”
Dalot’s comments are interesting because as he refers to, he has been where Elanga has, on the outside looking in.
The defender needed to go out on loan to regain his confidence and improve as a footballer, spending a season at AC Milan.
A loan exit is expected to await Elanga in the summer, but it doesn’t have to mean the end, as Dalot has shown.
This season there is plenty left to play for, and Elanga could yet have a say. It has been more than a year now since his last goal for the club, but in recent months, there have not been many opportunities.
He did provide an assist in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, and had a goal disallowed for offside in the quarter-finals.
Source: weallfollowunited.com; nitedinfocus.com
