Manchester United is poised and prepared to commence a new era as Sir Jim Ratcliffe finalizes his 25% ownership stake in the Reds.

Among his top priorities will be the enhancement of the United playing staff, an objective that Erik ten Hag is undoubtedly eager to achieve. With varying degrees of success, the Dutchman has endeavored to overhaul the team during his tenure at Manchester.

His improvement, however, has been incomplete in the area of defense, specifically the center-back position. Leading up to the winter, United have been linked with a number of center-backs, with Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice being the most prominent.

To introduce him to the United squad, however, would require Ten Hag to make a challenging decision. Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, and Lisandro Martinez are all expected to remain with the club beyond the current season.

His contract with the club expires at the conclusion of the current campaign, but Victor Lindelof is optimistic that his one-year extension clause will be exercised. Jonny Evans’s contract also expires in 2024; however, should he choose to remain in Manchester, he may be able to transition to the administrative system.

If no action is taken, it is highly probable that United will have four center-backs on their roster at the beginning of the following season. This forces Ten Hag to confront a challenging decision.

United has a track record of exercising their one-year clauses, so it is likely that Lindelof will follow suit. Although a precedent exists for this decision, Ten Hag could have easily filled the vacancy in the summer after permitting the Swede to depart at the conclusion of the season.

Ten Hag, however, is content to utilize Lindelof in conjunction with all three of his center-back colleagues, as we have recently observed; thus, Ten Hag must consider him a valuable addition to the squad. Furthermore, Martinez’s position is secure, as he was the Dutchman’s initial acquisition at United.

This leaves Maguire and Varane as two possible departure locations. At this time, the latter is the one that is least favored at Old Trafford, and United could potentially amass a substantial amount of money by signing Al Nassr.

It would be an extraordinary turnaround for the former captain if Maguire were to be retained, given that Ten Hag intended to sell him in the previous transfer window. United must ultimately transfer one of their center-backs as soon as possible in order to clear roster space and purchase the desperately needed upgrade for the squad.