An important new development regarding Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future is that the right defender for Manchester United is free to leave the organization this summer.

Is Wan-Bissaka standing out this year?

This season, the Englishman has fluctuated in and out of United’s lineup, playing more recently, but rarely feeling like a significant player. He has only started nine of his total 12 Premier League games, and when healthy, Diogo Dalot has been seen as the better option.

To be fair to Wan-Bissaka, his recent efforts have generally been strong, and the 25-year-old has contributed to his team’s pursuit for the top-four by averaging 1.9 tackles per game across the league. However, because his current contract with United expires at the end of the current campaign, the team has a difficult choice this summer knowing that it will be their final opportunity to get a lucrative deal for him.

Because of this, leaving Old Trafford seems more plausible than ever, especially in light of a recent update.

Wan-Bissaka-Man-United-Premier-League-Opinion
Are you supposed to back off in the summer?

Erik ten Hag reportedly told Wan-Bissaka that he is “free to leave this summer” and does not view him as a future member of Manchester United, according to Football Insider. He allegedly “came close to leaving Old Trafford in January,” but decided to stay in order to help the team’s injury issues.

However, Ten Hag believes Dalot to be the better choice going ahead and is relieved to see the former Crystal Palace player move on to better things. Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen has been linked to the Reds, and he might be seen as a significant improvement over Wan-Bissaka.

To be fair to the United defender, he always gives it his all and his attitude is never questioned, but he isn’t at the necessary level to be a long-term success at Old Trafford. He averaged two clearances per game in the league in 2022/23, which shows how good his defensive side can be. However, he lacks the attacking ability that today’s full-backs need, as he failed to score or provide an assist once in the division this year.

The best course of action is to let him go this summer and receive a fee rather than losing him for free the following season. He could still have a successful career at a lower-tier team since Jamie Carragher once referred to him as “the best one-on-one defender for a full-back in the world.”