Man Utd misfits on red alert as ten Hag considers adopting Arsenal tactic
Manchester United's underperforming stars may be concerned by Erik ten Hag's latest idea - as it could spell the end of their Old Trafford stays.
The Red Devils boss is thought to have taken inspiration from Premier League rivals Arsenal and the way Mikel Arteta has culled his squad in recent years and is keen on doing the same. Ten Hag knows that if he is to make any more additions to his side, he'll need to shift some of the deadwood off of the wage bill before he buys.
The Gunners have found themselves in a similar situation in recent years, with overpaid and misfiring stars tied up on lengthy deals, often signed off by previous regimes. Unwilling to let them simply sit on the bench and take their wages, Arteta, alongside sporting director Edu, paid the rest of their deals off to get rid early.
Mesut Ozil and Willian were two notable examples where it became clear that neither had a future at the Emirates, but still had months to run on their respective deals. Eager to show his ruthless streak, Arteta opted to fork out the money required and part ways sooner rather than later.
By doing so, it freed up room to sign talent that remain an integral part of the Gunners side to this day. Martin Odegaard arrived the same month that Ozil departed for Fenerbahce and is now Arsenal's club captain, while moving Willian on has allowed more game time for the club's younger attackers.
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It seems a tad late in the day for Ten Hag to start culling the United stars who are already nearing the end of their contracts. Anthony Martial is all but certainly out the door come the end of the season, while Tom Heaton is also expected to follow suit.
However, the likes of Casemiro and Raphael Varane are two key figures on high wages that have both been identified by fans and pundits alike as a duo hardly justifying their cost. It has been reported that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, new head of footballing operations, viewed Casemiro in particular as an example of poor recruitment.
HAVE YOUR SAY!Should Ten Hag copy Arteta's approach for fringe players? Comment below
Erik ten Hag is ready to follow Mikel Arteta's example in terms of getting rid of deadwoodWhether he shares Ten Hag's stance and is ready to pay the money required to offload the Brazilian as soon as possible remains to be seen. Casemiro's deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2026, so ending his contract wouldn't come cheap.
Jadon Sancho is another talent who could find himself the subject of Ten Hag's new Arteta-inspired approach. Currently on loan with Borussia Dortmund due to a fall-out with the United boss, Ten Hag may wish to cut ties with the England ace once and for all rather than waiting until 2026 for his deal to end.
Players that aren't expected to garner much of a transfer fee and aren't exactly vital to Ten Hag's plans could be at risk, especially those whose contract run out next year. Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof are two players that the Dutchman may deem surplus to requirements and taking up financial space.
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