Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

A closer look at Manchester United's six arrivals during the summer market

sportsmole.co.uk, 2 September 2022, 09:46
The summer transfer window slammed shut on Thursday evening, with Manchester United managing to boost their squad with the arrival of six players.

Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Antony and Martin Dubravka all arrived at Old Trafford over the summer, with head coach Erik ten Hag hoping to have assembled a squad strong enough to deal with the volume of matches over the next couple of months.

A busy window also saw Andreas Pereira, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic, Edinson Cavani, Tahith Chong, Juan Mata and Lee Grant leave.

Meanwhile, Eric Bailly, Alex Telles, Dean Henderson, Amad Diallo, Hannibal Mejbri and Alvaro Fernandez departed the 20-time English champions on loan over the summer.

Man United lost their opening two games of the 2022-23 Premier League season to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, but they have now won their last three against Liverpool, Southampton and Leicester City.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the team's six summer arrivals, with each of them hoping to play an important role for Ten Hag's side this season.

Tyrell Malacia (£13.5m from Feyenoord)

It is still very early in Malacia's Man United career, but he looks to be incredible business at £13.5m, with the 23-year-old already overtaking Luke Shaw to become the team's first-choice left-back.

The Netherlands international made 136 appearances for Feyenoord before arriving at Old Trafford, and he has already featured on five occasions for Ten Hag's side during the 2022-23 campaign.

Malacia's performance off the bench in the 4-0 loss at Brentford on August 13 convinced Ten Hag to start him against Liverpool, and he has played the full 90 minutes in the team's last three matches, which have brought wins over Jurgen Klopp's side, Southampton and Leicester.

The Dutchman's tenacity and energy have already made him a firm favourite with the Man United supporters, and Shaw will find it hard to displace him if he continues with this level of performance.

Malacia was not the team's most glamorous signing of the summer window, but he could end up being one of the most important.

Christian Eriksen (free transfer from Brentford)

Moving for a player of Eriksen's quality on a free transfer was not a particularly difficult decision for Man United to make, and the 30-year-old has already shown his class in a Red Devils shirt.

There had been claims that the Denmark international had been signed as a squad player, but he has started all five of the team's Premier League games this term and has completed their last two against Southampton and Leicester, playing key roles in the victories.

Eriksen's quality on the ball and calmness in possession have made him a vital asset for the 20-time English champions early in the campaign, and it appears that he has a key role to play this term.

The Dane's brilliant form for Brentford in the second half of last season saw Man United make their move, and it is remarkable that he is playing at this level at all after suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, which led to him having an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator inserted in his chest.

Lisandro Martinez (£51.6m from Ajax)

Martinez found it tough in his first two appearances for Man United against Brighton and Brentford, with many claiming that it would be impossible for him to thrive as a centre-back in the Premier League due to his size.

However, the 5ft 9in defender has been excellent in his team's last three matches against Liverpool, Southampton and Leicester, playing an important role in Ten Hag's side conceding just once in those three fixtures.

The Argentina international's aggressiveness has already made him a firm favourite with the Man United supporters, and he looks to be forming a solid centre-back partnership with Raphael Varane.

Martinez, who won two league titles and the Dutch Cup during his time at Ajax, will certainly be tested aerially throughout the campaign, but it has been a strong start to his career with the 20-time English champions.

Casemiro (£63.6m from Real Madrid)

Casemiro's arrival at Man United did come as a surprise, with the 30-year-old signing a four-year deal, with the option of another 12 months, upon the completion of his move from Real Madrid.

A five-time Champions League winner, the Brazil international has been one of the outstanding holding midfielders in world football for some time now, and it is certainly a statement signing by Man United.

Casemiro is yet to start for the Red Devils this term, featuring off the bench in their last two matches against Southampton and Leicester, playing a key role in closing out the two victories.

Ten Hag has been reluctant to change a winning side, and he is giving the midfielder time to settle in a new country, but there is no question that the South American will be a vital player for Man United this season.

In his two short cameos, he has shown his class, and although there was frustration when it came to Frenkie de Jong, Man United still managed to bring in one of the best midfielders in the world during the window.

Antony (£85.5m from Ajax)

Man United managed to officially get the deal done for Ajax on transfer deadline day, and the Brazil international is in line to make his debut for the club against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The 22-year-old started the 2022-23 campaign in impressive fashion for Ajax, scoring twice and providing two assists in three appearances in all competitions.

Meanwhile, he has left the Amsterdam giants with a record of 24 goals and 22 assists in 82 appearances since making the move from Sao Paulo in July 2020.

Antony has been signed to play off the right at Man United, and although it is a lot of money, the South American has the potential to become one of the leading players in world football over the next few years.

The Red Devils ultimately had to pay more than they would have wanted for the forward, though, and there will be immediate pressure on him to deliver due to the price tag and stage he is now on.

Martin Dubravka (loan from Newcastle United)

Man United had been looking to sign a new goalkeeper this summer following Dean Henderson's loan switch to Nottingham Forest, which left Tom Heaton as the only senior back up to David de Gea.

Dubravka's move from Newcastle was secured on deadline day, with the 33-year-old due to spend the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Old Trafford.

There is also an option to make the move permanent next summer, which is certainly a possibility if he manages to enjoy an impressive season in Manchester.

De Gea will remain the number one, but Dubravka will be given opportunities due to the volume of matches in the coming months, and he is a vastly experienced goalkeeper.

The Slovakia international has played 130 matches for Newcastle, including 127 outings in the Premier League, while he has also previously featured in the Champions League for Zilina, and Europa League for Slovan Liberec and Esbjerg.

Top News

7 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Latvia and Lithuania will raise the curtain on the 2024 Baltic Cup on Saturday, when they square off in a semi-final in Riga. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Estonia and Faroe Islands will do battle for a place in the Baltic Cup final on Saturday, when they kick off their campaigns with a tie in Tallinn. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has admitted he would move "tomorrow" to play for Brazilian club Corinthians. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are reportedly prepared to reject any loan proposals for Romelu Lukaku in an effort to find the striker a new permanent home. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Moldova and Cyprus will compete for the first time in the current international window when they go head-to-head in Saturday's friendly at Stadionul Zimbru. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Gremio will be aiming to secure top spot when they host Estudiantes in the Copa Libertadores at the Estadio Couto Pereira on Saturday. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk For a country that has contributed so much to football, and left such an indelible footprint on the global game, the Netherlands have won remarkably little silverware. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England manager Gareth Southgate has announced his final 26-man squad ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Cristiano Ronaldo will make history when he takes to the field for Portugal at Euro 2024. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Heading into Euro 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in the competition's history (14) and the most finals appearances (five). 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Oviedo will welcome Eibar to Estadio Carlos Tartiere on Saturday evening for the first leg of their Segunda Division playoff semi-final. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly agreed personal terms with Fenerbahce left-back Ferdi Kadioglu and are edging closer to a deal for the Turkey international. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams that will compete at this summer's Copa America will lock horns in an international friendly on Saturday evening, with USA welcoming Colombia. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has reportedly come to a decision over his future at Camp Nou after the arrival of Hansi Flick as head coach. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League-winning trio Eder Militao, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo could all be in the Brazil side for Saturday's international friendly against Mexico. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Hungary will wrap up their Euro 2024 preparations when they welcome Israel to Debrecen for Saturday's friendly. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brazil will play the first of their two pre-Copa America warm-up matches on Saturday evening, with Mexico their opponents in the United States. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Belgium conclude their preparations for Euro 2024 by squaring off against Luxembourg in Brussels on Saturday night. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk While a host of star names have arrived at Manchester City in big-money deals, the Citizens have also recouped considerable sums from the sale of several players over the years. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England boss Gareth Southgate has confirmed his final 26-man squad for Euro 2024, with the omissions of Manchester City and Manchester United players standing out. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk German powerhouses Bayern Munich have reportedly ruled out making a move for an 'unhappy' Arsenal defender in the summer transfer window. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente will make wholesale changes to his starting side for Saturday's international friendly with Northern Ireland. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Spain will round off their preparations for this summer's European Championship with a friendly against Northern Ireland at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix on Saturday night. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As Euro 2024 fast approaches, several star players are hoping to grab the headlines in Germany, but very few will make an impact that resonates down the decades. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk European Championship holders Italy have announced their final 26-man squad for Euro 2024, confirming which three players have been cut. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Switzerland and Austria conclude their preparations for Euro 2024 with an international friendly at St Gallen on Saturday evening. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Slovenia continue their preparations for Euro 2024 by squaring off against Bulgaria in an international friendly on Saturday afternoon. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to be named in the Portugal XI for Saturday's international friendly against Croatia, as Roberto Martinez's side continue their preparations for Euro 2024. 6 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Portugal will continue their preparations for this summer's European Championship with a glamour friendly against fellow Euro 2024 participants Croatia on Saturday evening.