Erik ten Hag has instructed Manchester United to sell four defenders this summer as the club advance with their plans to sign Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Dutch defender recently dropped a hint about his future by insisting that his next move would have the priority of winning titles. Frimpong was initially linked with a move to the Red Devils in November and talks are ongoing between the two clubs over a deal.
Yet United must clear out defenders first with a lot of players on their books who are not in Ten Hag’s plans. United will listen to offers for club captain Harry Maguire while Eric Bailly, currently on loan at Marseille, and left-back duo Brandon Williams and Alex Telles also to be moved on.
Telles was involved in a training ground bust-up with team-mate Hannibal Mejbri last May, just before United boss Erik ten Hag assumed the Old Trafford hot seat. The in-house fall-out came in the aftermath of United's humiliating 4-0 defeat away at Brighton at the tail-end of last term when morale was at its lowest under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
Even though Ten Hag was not in the dugout at that point, he was informed of the situation and how Rangnick was so displeased with the incident that he ended that particular training session prematurely.
Telles moved to Sevilla on a season-long loan deal but the Spanish club will not look to sign the player permanently this summer. United will look to find another willing buyer for the Brazilian, who joined from Porto in 2020.
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As detailed by the Manchester Evening News, United are keen to ease their defensive options ahead of next season but neither Aaron Wan-Bissaka nor Diogo Dalot – who Frimpong will add competition to at right-back – are likely to leave.
Instead, Telles and fellow out-of-favour Williams are both set to depart while Maguire would also be allowed to depart should a suitable offer arrive. Marseille have an obligation to sign loanee Bailly for €6million if they qualify for the Champions League and he plays a certain number of matches but the latter is unlikely.
Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof are United’s main central defensive options while Luke Shaw has played in that position at times with Tyrell Malacia providing competition at left-back. Long-serving defender Phil Jones also remains on United’s books.
