Manchester United are in the market for a right-back as they resume their 2022-23 season after the culmination of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

United currently sit 5^th in the Premier League table, with 29 points from 15 games. They currently trail Tottenham Hotspur by 1 point, but with a game in hand. The Red Devils are also set to face FC Barcelona in the Europa League knockout stage.

United will look to get some business done in the winter transfer window to bolster their squad. The Red Devils are on the hunt for a new striker after Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock departure.

Manchester United also desperately need a revamp for the right-back role. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is rumoured to be on his way out of the club this window. This would leave Diogo Dalot as Ten Hag’s only natural full-back on the right.

Here are the three options that Manchester United are pursuing as their new right-back signing:

1. Denzel Dumfries:

Dumfries joined Inter Milan from PSV Eindhoven two years ago. The Dutchman was roped in to replace the departing Hakimi Achraf. Since then, the 26-year-old has racked up 7 goals and 10 assists from 65 appearances (stats via Transfermarkt).

Dumfries was also a part of the Netherlands National Team in the 2020 Euros and the 2022 World Cup. The former Heerenveen man is traditionally a wing-back. He has been used as the attacking outlet from the right in a back-five for both club and country. He is a deadly threat on the right flank and loves to get into attacking positions.

Defensively, the 26-year-old leaves a lot to be desired. He is often caught very high upfield and lacks awareness and positional discipline.

Chelsea have also been linked to Dumfries. The London outfit are arguably a better fit for the Dutchman since they also traditionally use wingbacks.

NEW: Erik ten Hag is pushing for Manchester United to sign Denzel Dumfries. #MUFC [@Plettigoal] pic.twitter.com/PFpSjjBr9x

— mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) December 12, 2022

However, the same cannot be said for Manchester United. Despite Ten Hag’s reported eagerness to sign the wingback, Dumfries is not the profile United are looking for right now. Ten Hag has largely preferred to invert his full-backs in possession. On the right flank, Antony has mostly been instructed to maintain width on the right, playing Dalot in a more central role.

Furthermore, the reported fee of 50 million euros appears a little steep as the Dutchman has just a year left on his contract after this season.

2. Jeremie Frimpong

A product of the Manchester City youth academy, Frimpong joined Bayer Leverkusen from Celtic in 2020. Across three seasons, the 22-year-old has 7 goals and 12 assists from 68 games (stats via Transfermarkt). He was also a part of the 2022 World Cup squad, but did not get any playing time.

Frimpong offers a fairly similar profile to his Dutch counterpart Dumfries. However, the former Celtic man is more comfortable in a back-4 too. This season, he has played equally well in a 4-2-3-1 set-up and a 3-4-3 set-up.

Frimpong has a contract that runs until 2025, perhaps a reason why Bayer director Simon Rolfes is “very relaxed” about the situation. Rolfes told Sky Deutschland:

“We are very relaxed with Jeremie. It would be fatal if he didn’t draw attention to himself from big clubs with these performances.

“He is very conspicuous with his way of playing and is an enormously important player for us. I told him that he will still get his playing time with his quality within the tournament.

“He can decide a game with a single action because he’s incredibly quick and good at dribbling. We’ll be happy when he’s back [after the World Cup] with us. Jeremie has a long-term contract at Leverkusen, so we’re very relaxed.”

Manchester United face very similar problems in the pursuit of Jeremie Frimpong, as they would with Dumfries. Although the former is younger and has more scope for growth, both players are better suited to perform in a back-five than a back-four.

The length of his contract and reported interest from clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid and other top clubs just makes any transfer even more difficult.

3. Malo Gusto

Manchester United are also weighing up a move for Malo Gusto. The 19-year-old has been highly impressive for Lyon over the last two seasons. In 53 games for Lyon, Gusto has registered 6 assists.

Gusto is also drawing attention from many top-flight clubs, including Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Chelsea, and Juventus. With a contract that runs until 2024, United will have to move fast to snap up the fullback.

Malo Gusto is perhaps the best profile for United for the right-back role. He has thrived in a deeper role in Peter Bosz’s system. The Frenchman is tidy in possession and a sturdy defender. He has been used as a wingback on a couple of occasions too, and has given a good account for himself.

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However, Gusto lacks the end product or speed to regularly play down the overlap. While these qualities can be refined under the right manager, it is also worth mentioning that Ten Hag has generally used inverted fullbacks instead of asking them to go on the overlap.

Such a set-up would directly play into Malo Gusto’s strength, and make him the perfect fit for the right-back slot.

Who should Manchester United sign in the winter transfer window? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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