It has been a classic case of one step forward and two steps back for Manchester United this season and they succumbed to their 10th defeat of the current campaign at the weekend against Newcastle United.
Just when things were starting to look up for the Red Devils after the Everton victory, the team crumbled in Istanbul, snatching a point from the jaws of victory before meekly surrendering to the Magpies.
Manager Erik ten Hag is once again under immense pressure with British media attacking him with stories of dressing room revolt over tactics and alleged mistreatment of Jadon Sancho.
Dressing room turmoil
The club resorted to banning serial offenders like Samuel Luckhurst but the black clouds hovering over Old Trafford will not rescind till there is an upturn in form.
Stories being leaked by certain players is nothing new at United with player power allowed to run rampant by the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will need to come in and fix this along with his behind-the-scene personnel changes.
While the INEOS chairman might not be able to back the club with large funds during the winter transfer window, moving on certain players might help with that.
Sancho is one player whose attitude has been questioned time and again and quite a few clubs are open to moving for him in January.
Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Saudi clubs are just a few in the race and if the Englishman is successfully sold, the proceeds will then be used to buy an alternative.
Plenty of forwards have been named as targets including Premier League ace Pedro Neto but a new name has come up in the form of sign Donyell Malen.
A versatile forward capable of playing on either wing and up front, the Netherlands international has five goals and two assists from 14 starts across all competitions this season.
Malen, a January target
As Football Transfers pointed out, the 24-year-old recently signed for SEG agency, who are enjoying great relations with the club at present, having Ten Hag on their roster as well.
“Manchester United will be offered the chance to sign Donyell Malen if Jadon Sancho departs the club, FootballTransfers is told.
“The Borussia Dortmund winger recently signed for agency SEG, the firm that oversaw Erik ten Hag’s switch from Ajax to the Premier League giants.”
Ten Hag knows the Dortmund star well from his time in the Netherlands and this rumour could very well prove to be true due to the nature of acquisitions seen under the current boss.