Erik ten Hag has been dismissed, while the players who are paid millions to deliver Manchester United's on-field performance remain, expressing heartfelt 'thank you boss' messages on social media while continuing to collect their lucrative salaries. This situation will persist, but to assess the squad's responsibility for Ten Hag's dismissal, United's decline to 14th place in the Premier League and 21th in the Europa League, a straightforward question suffices: how many of the players left behind by the fifth post-Sir Alex Ferguson manager, who was removed by the club, would Pep Guardiola consider for his dominant Manchester City XI? Those loyal to City might answer zero due to tribal affiliations and the era of Guardiola's success—a kind of 'if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it' stance. There is an argument for a few of the players Rúben Amorim is set to inherit, but the next manager at Old Trafford should be cautious: a few players are not enough to take United to the heights desired by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the football department chief, where they can compete with City, Liverpool, and Arsenal for domestic honors and reach the latter stages of the Champions League annually.
Starting from the defense, Lisandro Martínez seems a perfect fit for City, given that Guardiola described the Argentinian as one of the top 'five centre-backs in the world' after City's 2-1 FA Cup final defeat in May. Martínez, a natural leader in a United squad lacking such figures, would feel at home in a dressing room filled with self-captaining players: Ederson, Kyle Walker, Rúben Dias, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gündogan, and Erling Haaland. He could also be shifted to left-back, a position Guardiola lacks a natural player for, joining Josko Gvardiol as a capable substitute.
Kobbie Mainoo would seamlessly integrate into the team as City's next No 8, a role currently occupied by the aging Gündogan, 34, and De Bruyne, 33. The 19-year-old's ability to ghost past opponents, his schemer's eye, and talent for dominating possession would appeal to Guardiola, who had hoped to sign Jude Bellingham before losing out to Real Madrid.
Bruno Fernandes, the best footballer at United and another player publicly praised by Guardiola, would compete with Phil Foden for the No 10 position. The main criticism against United's captain concerns his lack of discipline—both in maintaining team shape and in controlling his interactions with officials. For Guardiola, a skilled man-manager, this is a minor challenge, and Fernandes' main-man persona would fit well into the City dressing room.
So far, three footballers are good enough to compete for the country's leading side. Now, two more players Guardiola might or might not consider: Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. As wide players, each would need to displace Jack Grealish, Jérémy Doku, Savinho, or Bernardo Silva and be able to thrive on either wing, a requirement Guardiola imposes on his current quartet.
First, Rashford: this season he has scored an underwhelming four goals in 14 appearances but has rediscovered the joy of beating a full-back and sprinting past him. However, over a season and a bit has passed since his 30-goal season, 18 of which came in the league, a significant factor in propelling Ten Hag's men to a third-place finish. None of Grealish, Doku, Savinho, and Silva (who is also deployed in midfield) are prolific, but each is trusted by Guardiola to perform. Rashford's more than eight years in United's first team show he is incapable of this: file him as an outside chance then.
Garnacho seems a more certain bet. In his nascent United career (he made his debut in late April 2022), the youngster has been a consistent force, and although a strike ratio of 20 goals in 100 appearances is modest, it suggests that, at 20 and with an X-factor talent, he can significantly improve this return.
After a £600m investment in the five transfer markets of Ten Hag's two-plus seasons in charge, only four of United's squad are good enough for the champion team across town, two of which are homegrown players Mainoo and Garnacho. This makes a strong case for the squad having to bear some responsibility for United's lackluster performances and Ten Hag's dismissal. A counterargument is that the Dutchman approved all those recruited for the £600m, so he has a significant hand in their presence at the club. After Ratcliffe took over United, his manifesto emphasized the structural changes needed to support Ten Hag. Dan Ashworth (as sporting director), Jason Wilcox (technical director), and Omar Berrada (chief executive) were brought in, with Sir Dave Brailsford as the Ineos owner's key lieutenant/man on the ground.
What followed: £200m of the £600m was spent in the summer on five signings: Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte. Except for Yoro, who has been injured since pre-season, they have underperformed, appearing average at best. Berrada, Ashworth, and Wilcox are also factors in United's malaise. And in Ten Hag's demise. But as with the players, they remain, and the man in the hot seat has paid the price.
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