Ralph Hasenhuttl sacking could help Erik ten Hag solve Manchester United transfer problem
The former Southampton manager's departure could aid Man United's bid to bolster their defensive options.
There is no denying that Manchester United have improved under Erik ten Hag, but they are certainly not the finished article just yet.
If a club had spent £225million in a single transfer window 10 years ago, you may well have expected them to be challenging for the Premier League title. Yet, so vast was the rebuild facing Ten Hag, United's summer outlay is seen as more of a step in the right direction.
The arrivals of Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Antony and Casemiro have all helped strengthen United's first-team options, with Martin Dubravka still proving to be a curious loan deal - yet we all know how important squad depth is.
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One area United need to prioritise is their striker options. Cristiano Ronaldo will turn 38 in a few months' time, while Anthony Martial's injury record means that the Frenchman cannot be seen as a reliable long-term option.
It is fair to assume that the majority of the available immediate transfer budget will be put towards signing a world-class centre-forward, yet recent developments may have just paved the way for United to tick another important transfer off their list.
Southampton's announcement that they had parted company with Ralph Hasenhuttl will undoubtedly bring further changes at the south coast club, as any potential new manager decides which players feature in their long-term vision for the club.
Ten Hag has turned to Diogo Dalot in every single game this season, as the Portugal international continues to impress. The club needed to strengthen at right-back over the summer, and although the 23-year-old's recent performances have lessened the urgency, the need is still there.
United do not necessarily have to break the bank for a first-team full-back, but the drop-off in quality for what Ten Hag needs between Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka is worrying. Despite the former Crystal Palace man being injured for the majority of the season, it is highly unlikely that he would have featured ahead of Dalot.
One option that may now become available to United through Southampton's change in leadership is Kyle Walker-Peters - Hasenhuttl gave the 25-year-old a chance in the Saints' first team, something that a new manager may not agree with. Although the right-back has been ruled out until after the World Cup, the break will come as the perfect time for him to get back to full fitness ahead of the new head coach's arrival.
Tino Livramento had impressed for the south coast side with some superb performances at right-back, eventually getting in the team ahead of Walker-Peters before picking up a long-term knee injury. With the 19-year-old set to return in the new year, competition will be fierce for the position.
United, therefore, can offer Walker-Peters an escape route to a club that has a manager who values attacking full-backs and sees them as a necessity in today's game. Should he be concerned over playing second fiddle to Dalot, he need look no further than Luke Shaw's recent resurgence.
The England international has now usurped Malacia as United's first-choice left-back, and although there is no doubting the Dutch international's ability, it shows that Ten Hag is willing to pick the team on merit alone.
Should United find a move away from Southampton for Walker-Peters become possible in the near future, they could do far worse than make a move for a player who ticks almost every box Ten Hag looks for in a full-back, while also providing Dalot with some much-needed support.
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