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Manchester United are preparing to face West Ham United at Old Trafford on Sunday (October 30) in the Premier League. The Red Devils are coming off a superb 3-0 victory over Sheriff in the UEFA Europa League in midweek.
Meanwhile, new manager Erik ten Hag has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to replicate his goalscoring exploits from last season. Elsewhere, the Old Trafford outfit are ready to battle Chelsea for an Ajax midfielder.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on October 29, 2022:
Erik ten Hag backs Cristiano Ronaldo to score goals
Erik ten Hag has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to replicate his goalscoring heights from last season despite a lukewarm start to the campaign.
The Portuguese has been slow off the blocks and has struggled to fit into the Dutchman’s tactics. The 37-year-old has failed to cement a place in the starting XI and has cut a sorry and frustrated figure at times.
However, speaking to the press ahead of the West Ham game, Ten Hag backed Ronaldo to regain his form.
“It’s up to him (if Ronaldo can emulate last season’s figure of 24 goals). But I think when you collect all the chances he creates – the team creates for him in the last weeks – he was there. You see, he is still capable to get into the right positions, and I know he’s capable to finish them, so it’s possible,” said Ten Hag.
He added:
“In this moment, we have to work on developing our team, develop our attacking department, our attacking game. And we have strikers, we have good ones, and now we are working on the progress of that.”
Ronaldo has managed just three goals from 12 appearances across competitions this season.
Manchester United ready to battle Chelsea for Edson Alvarez
Manchester United are ready to lock horns with Chelsea to secure the signature of Edson Alvarez, according to Calciomercato via Caught Offside.
The Mexican midfielder is a target for the Blues, who failed to sign him this summer. The London giants are expected to return for their man next year but could face competition from the Red Devils.
Ren Hag bolstered his options in midfield by roping in Casemiro and Christian Eriksen this summer. However, with both men over 30, there’s a need to lay down succession plans for the future. The Dutchman is ready to raid his former team for a solution next year.
Ten Hag has brought in Antony and Lisandro Martinez from the Eredivisie giants this summer, and both players have served him well. The Dutchman wants to repeat the trick with Alvarez, although Manchester United could face stiff competition from Chelsea for his signature. The 25-year-old has appeared 16 times for Ajax this season, scoring once.
Valencia interested in Donny van de Beek
Valencia are interested in Donny van de Beek, according to Todo Fichajes via Caught Offside. The Dutch midfielder has struggled to find his feet at Manchester United since arriving in 2020. Even the arrival of Ten Hag at Old Trafford hasn’t improved his situation. The player is understandably frustrated and wants to move on to revamp his career.
The Red Devils are likely to let him leave if they receive a suitable offer. Van de Beek spent the second half of last season on loan at Everton but failed to strike a chord at Goodison Park as well.
Valencia are now ready to offer him an exit route from Manchester United, and the player could be open to a move to Spain. Van de Beek has played just 22 minutes in the Premier League this season. He could find regular game time easier to come by with the La Liga side, but his high salary could be a stumbling block.
