Why Man United should go all out to sign Hans Hateboer in the summer?
Hans Hateboer has enjoyed a fantastic campaign in the Serie A with Atalanta thus far. He has thrived in the right wing-back role under Gian Piero Gasperini, contributing with five goals and four assists across all competitions.
The Dutchman, 25, joined Atalanta from Groningen in the January of 2017 after the Eredivisie outfit cashed in on their star rather losing him for free. He managed just six appearances in his debut season and couldn’t quite make an impact in the 2017/18 campaign, despite managing 33 games. But Hans Hateboer has stepped up for La Dea this term, establishing himself as one of the top full-backs in Italy.
Keeping the 25-year-old’s offensive displays in mind, Manchester United should plot a summer swoop for him.
Antonio Valencia, Manchester United skipper, has fallen out of favour under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is behind Ashley Young and Diego Dalot in the pecking order. The 33-year-old has made eight appearances all season and has not played since January 2, with the full-back currently sidelined with a calf injury.
Solskjaer hinted last week that the club would not to trigger a contract extension for Valencia, which means he may leave as a free agent at the end of the season. The veteran Ecuadorian’s departure at the end of the season would leave United with Dalot, Young and Darmian.
Even though Young has signed a one-year extension to his contract, he will turn 34 in July, while Darmian has been on the peripheries since the start of the season and is expected to leave Old Trafford in the summer. Hence, Solskjaer must avoid a potential burnout of options at right full-back and add Hans Hateboer to the mix ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
Hateboer has proved to an extremely effective player both defensively and going forward for Atalanta, managing to keep Timothy Castagne out of the side for the majority of this campaign. An offensive full-back, the Dutchman operates with a lot of speed, flair and intensity and combines his energy with the work-rate to produce the goods consistently for his team.
The former Groningen ace is a tigerish and hard-working powerhouse of a defender who has the attributes to take the Premier League like a duck to water. Hateboer’s attacking instincts would not only make him an ideal fit for Solskjaer’s system but also add depth to the squad.
With Dalot just 19 and Young in the final stages of his career, signing Hateboer would represent a smart investment for the Red Devils. He is only 25 and can only get better while his consistent offensive performances in the Serie A this season demonstrates how influential he can be on his day.
Hence, United shouldn’t hesitate to splash the cash and sign Hateboer to reinforce their defence ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
