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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Dan Brown

Erik ten Hag names new leader at Manchester United

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has suggested that the club have signed a new 'leader' in Marcel Sabitzer, with the Austrian international having arrived at Old Trafford on transfer deadline day.

Ten Hag confirmed that the midfielder - who signed for United on loan from Bayern Munich for the rest of the season - would be included in the squad for United's Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon. The 28-year-old was recruited late in the January transfer window following Christian Eriksen's injury set-back.

Sabitzer made 24 appearances in all competitions for Bayern in the first half of the season, but only seven of those came as a starter in the Bundesliga. Despite this, the midfielder has still played more than 180 times in the German top flight and has featured on 68 occasions for Austria.

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The 28-year-old captained his former side RB Leipzig towards the end of his time at the club, and has also captained his county on a few occasions. Ten Hag insisted that the midfielder is a leader and will bring a 'winning attitude' to the club amid a hectic fixture schedule.

"He is a determined football player with a really good attitude and [at] many clubs he was also captain, so he is also a leader," Ten Hag told club media. "He is a really good player who brings a winning attitude and I think for that it is a perfect signing. We are really happy with him.''

Sabitzer is expected to be named among the substitutes for the clash with the Eagles on Saturday afternoon, with Casemiro and Fred likely to start at Old Trafford. Fellow midfielder Scott McTominay is out for a number of weeks, while Eriksen is sidelined with an ankle injury until late April at the earliest and Donny van de Beek is out for the season.

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