Erik ten Hag ‘defied Man Utd chiefs’ by pursuing Sergio Reguilon loan move

Football Digest: Arsenal defeat Man Utd 3-1

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag went against the grain by signing Sergio Reguilon instead of promoting from within to solve his left-back issue, according to reports. The Spaniard was brought in on loan from Tottenham last week as injury woes threatened to leave the Red Devils caught short.

Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are both set for several more weeks on the sidelines due to injury. Diogo Dalot, a right-back by trade, has started the season deputising on the opposite flank for Ten Hag.

United also made a late transfer move for Reguilon in an attempt to bolster their options during the early part of the campaign. The 26-year-old’s loan move includes a January break clause in case it doesn’t work out.

According to The Athletic, Ten Hag insisted on signing a player with Premier League experience, despite some United chiefs advocating for youngster Alvaro Fernandez to get his shot in the first team.

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The 20-year-old was a star turn on loan at Preston North End last season, and as a natural left-back, he will surely have been licking his lips at the prospect of regular minutes with Shaw and Malacia both side-lined.

Instead, Ten Hag’s insistence to go after a more experienced player meant that Fernandez was sent on loan late in the window. The former Real Madrid academy prospect will now spend the season with La Liga side Granada, where he will get another chance to convince his employers that he is ready for the senior side.

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Fernandez was named United’s U23 Player of the Year in 2022, although he has never made a first-team appearance for the Red Devils. Dalot did an admirable job keeping Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka under wraps during the first half on Sunday, with Reguilon left untouched on the bench.

Ten Hag’s side ultimately went on to lose the game 3-1, with late goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus bringing the house down in north London. Although Reguilon didn’t see the pitch, he still managed to anger United legend Roy Keane by embracing Martin Odegaard in the tunnel before the game.

“Jokes aside, I’m just looking at the tunnel there,” the Irishman told Sky Sports. “Everyone thinks I’m old school… I don’t know why you’d want to be chatting to people that you’re going to go into battle with.

“You’re going to be kicking lumps out of each other. So why shake hands?! I’ll shake it after the game, not before you go into a battle, but maybe these younger players will educate me.”

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