Erik ten Hag appears to have acknowledged that he requested Manchester United to try to sign Marcel Sabitzer on the last day of the transfer window to aid them with their escalating injury problem.
Hours before the January transfer deadline, the Red Devils announced on Tuesday that Christian Eriksen will miss roughly three months of action. Due to the absence of Donny van de Beek for the remainder of the current campaign and the impending absence of Scott McTominay, United lacks alternatives in the midfield.
After the transfer window closed, United moved quickly to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Sabitzer on a loan deal that would last through the conclusion of the current campaign.
Ten Hag claimed he requested the board to add midfield reinforcements before the deadline during a news conference earlier on Tuesday.
“[The midfield situation] is, of course, a concern and there are things you have to deal with and you can’t do nothing for it,” ten Hag said.
“You can set the squad but in January is dropping out Donny for the rest of the season and Christian Eriksen for part of the season and also Scott McTominay is not available for the coming week, two weeks, maybe even longer.
“So we have a challenge there, the squad has a challenge. We have quality players there, that is obvious, but the depth is not that good anymore. But we as a team have to deal with that.
“I said from day one, when there are opportunities we will look and that is also for every hour we have still, if there are opportunities we have to act but it is so difficult.
“We all know the last day is not that likely to bring the right player in. You can probably have a player but it must be a player that can have an impact, otherwise it is better to leave it.
“As a manager, I think you always try to find to make your team better. I wouldn’t be a good manager if I didn’t make the request.
“If there are opportunities, it is my job to tell the club there are opportunities to strengthen the squad and our team. And it is about them and about financial frameworks and what is acceptable and what is reasonable.
“And what do we need to realise our ambitions and also what doesn’t match with our policy and strategy and the phase we are in.”
