Summary Manchester United's three straight wins have given coach Erik ten Hag a major confidence boost after a season of inconsistent performances. With injuries plaguing United's defensive line, Ten Hag may be looking to sign Real Sociedad centre-back Robin Le Normand in the January transfer window. Le Normand has been impressive in La Liga, ranking high in accurate passes, interceptions and clearances per game, making him an ideal acquisition for United and a potential partner for Raphael Varane.
Manchester United have recorded three straight wins for the first time this season following their narrow 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen in midweek, which will surely give Erik ten Hag a major confidence boost.
United have been rather Jekyll-and-Hyde so far this season and have failed to show signs of building on the progress made during Ten Hag’s first season in charge, which led to Champions League qualification while also ending the club's six-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup.
Despite not landing a plethora of transfer targets, the Dutchman did secure the signings of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund to bolster his side, yet it has taken them a few months to make any sort of meaningful impact in the team.
Hojlund does have three Champions League goals this season, while Onana made a match-winning penalty save against the Danish side, and it looks as though they are beginning to settle in.
With the January transfer window fast approaching and Ten Hag desperate to bulk out his squad due to some injury woes, could he make a signing or two?
Man Utd’s January transfer plans
The Red Devils have been hit with a host of injuries since the start of the season, particularly defensively. Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez have made just eight appearances combined this season, and while Aaron Wan-Bissaka looks like he is close to returning to the first team, Ten Hag may be in the market for another defender in a few months.
According to TEAMtalk, the Old Trafford side are showing interest in Real Sociedad centre-back Robin Le Normand as they look to strengthen.
He is also attracting attention from Liverpool, indicating that Ten Hag has some competition on his hands and must therefore act swiftly if he is serious regarding a potential move for the player.
The 26-year-old does have a release clause in his contract that currently stands at €50m (£43.6m), which is a very realistic fee for United to pay for someone who is entering his prime years as a defender.
Arsenal have also scouted the French-born gem, though it remains unclear whether they are going to make a concrete offer in January.
Ten Hag could repeat United’s Raphael Varane masterclass by luring the defender from La Liga to the Premier League, and the move could be a stroke of genius by the former Ajax boss.
Raphael Varane has shone for Man Utd
The Red Devils managed to pull off a massive coup in the summer of 2021 as Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer signed Varane from Real Madrid for a fee in the region of £41m, which looked like a solid piece of business considering his quality.
Aged only 28, Varane had won the World Cup with France and claimed four Champions League winners' medals along with three league crowns during his time in Madrid, signalling a real statement of intent from United.
Since joining just over two years ago, the Frenchman has gone on to make 72 appearances for the club, and if not for a variety of injury issues which have ruled him out for 38 games, he could have reached a century at Old Trafford.
During his first season, he ranked first across the squad for accurate passes per game in the league, while topping the pile for clearances per game and also averaging 4.2 total duels won per game – a 71% success rate – as he made his mark on the side.
While his second season wasn’t as productive, dropping down to fifth across the squad for accurate passes per game, his presence in the United backline helped them win their first trophy since 2017 and a return to Europe’s elite club competition.
Le Normand will be looking to follow in his footsteps should he make the move to Manchester in January, and he has served his apprenticeship well at Real Sociedad over the previous five seasons.
Robin Le Normand could solve Man Utd’s defensive woes
Since the start of the 2023/24 season, the Old Trafford side have conceded 20 goals and it is evident that this is an area which needs to be improved.
In comparison, Sociedad have conceded only 12 goals since the start of the La Liga campaign and Le Normand has played in all but one match.
The 26-year-old was born in France, yet he switched nationalities earlier this year and has since gone on to earn six caps for the senior side due to his impressive performances for his club in recent times.
Indeed, not only does he rank second across the squad in La Liga for accurate passes per game (47.1), but the defender also ranks second for interceptions (1.2) and first for clearances (2.7) per game, indicating just how impressive he has been in the top flight.
A move to United could potentially be his first choice due to his admiration for Varane, as the defender has previously lavished praise on him, saying: “Rafa Varane is an example for me, an inspiration even, someone who went from the French second division to Spain as a young player to win everything with Real Madrid.”
46.4
47.1
1.1
0.9
1
1.2
2.8
2.7
5.3
4.8
His form during his spell in Spain has earned Le Normand plenty of praise, especially from his former manager Manolo Marquez, who said: “He’s aggressive, correct with the ball, strong in duels and fast. I like him, he’s a very important player for La Real.”
Judging by the statistics, plus his high regard for Varane, it appears as though Le Normand would be an ideal acquisition for Ten Hag in January.
He is not only shining in La Liga, but also making his mark on the international stage and for a fee of £43.6m, it would represent a wonderful piece of transfer business.
The Old Trafford side have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, but they need to remain consistent in order to challenge for a top-four place once again.
Luring Le Normand to the club in the coming months will give them a major defensive boost, and he could be partnered with Varane, a player he clearly has huge admiration for.
