Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Man Utd attacker’s departure is ‘imminent’, as surprise Ten Hag call backfires

Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag

Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag

The agent of a Man Utd forward reckons his client will leave the club in January, and one report has hinted a recent Erik ten Hag decision has had a disastrous consequence.

Following the arrival of Antony, the conclusion of Anthony Martial’s loan spell at Sevilla and the retaining of Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United’s forward line is now filled to the brim.

Erik ten Hag often deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation. His front four has tended to be Marcus Rashford up top, with Jadon Sancho and Antony flanking Bruno Fernandes just behind.

That still leaves the oft-injured Martial, Ronaldo, Anthony Elanga and Alejandro Garnacho in reserve. However, there is another name Ten Hag can select.

Uruguayan winger, Facundo Pellistri, is back at Man Utd this season after two loans spells at Deportivo Alaves.

The 22-year-old cost around €10m when signed from Uruguayan side Penarol in 2020, though has found making a breakthrough in Manchester difficult.

He’s made the bench in each of United’s last three Europa League ties. He was also on the bench for the Red Devils’ last six league fixtures, though the call from Ten Hag never came.

Instead, the Dutch boss has begun to give meaningful gametime to Argentine hotshot Garnacho.

The 18-year-old started against Sheriff Tiraspol last Thursday and impressed Paul Scholes. Fabrizio Romano later reported a new five-year deal is in the works to ensure his long-0term future remains in Manchester.

Despite being four years younger, Garnacho appears to have leapfrogged Pellistri in the pecking order.

As such, the player’s agent, Edgardo Lasalvia, has claimed Pellistri’s exit is “imminent”.

Strong World Cup showing to facilitate Man Utd exit

Speaking to ESPN Uruguay, Lasalvia said: “I think that with a good World Cup, as we think it will have, his departure is imminent.”

Pellistri is a shoo-in to make Uruguay’s World Cup squad for Qatar. The lively forward made his senior debut earlier in 2022 and has gone on to feature seven times this year.

His agent is seemingly banking on a strong showing on the biggest stage prompting would-be suitors to come calling.

Pellistri – who is still yet to make his senior United debut – does have three years remaining on his United deal.

However, the Manchester Evening News pick up his agent’s comments and state ‘he is behind Antony, Rashford, Sancho, Elanga and Garnacho in the pecking order’ for the wide positions.

While few would argue Ten Hag’s integration of Garnacho into the first-team is anything but a positive, it does appear to have had a knock-on effect on Pellistri.

Whether he’d actually be a loss for United if sold is open to debate. Indeed, one must question how brightly his star can shine if he is yet to make his senior United debut by age 22.

Regardless, moving him on before he gets a chance to prove his worth would be a shame.

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