Even though preseason is well under way, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag might be a little disappointed that the team has only signed English international Mason Mount while still pursuing Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund.

Since longtime stopper David De Gea has announced his departure from the club after 12 years in Manchester, and Anthony Martial is currently the only senior center-forward at Ten Hag’s disposal, it appears that the Red Devils’ top priorities right now are to sign a new goalkeeper and a striker.

While filling those voids appears to be a top priority, there is no reason to believe that United won’t also try to strengthen other areas of the field in the upcoming weeks. According to reports in Spain, the Premier League heavyweights are also reportedly interested in AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez.

Though it is unknown whether the Serie A club would approve the 25-year-old’s departure, it is thought that the Old Trafford team could be willing to spend about €60 million (£51 million) to recruit the 17-cap France international.

Even though Ten Hag already has Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia at his disposal, adding another left-back may seem unlikely. However, the same was likely true last summer when the former Ajax manager shocked everyone by making Malacia his first signing despite already having Shaw and Alex Telles on the roster.

Hernandez and Lisandro Martinez, both former Real Madrid players, may create a tantalising defensive combo for the 53-year-old Dutchman if he makes another audacious attempt to secure Hernandez’s transfer.

Theo Hernandez: How excellent is he?

The speedster from Marseille seems to have attracted attention after an impressive season for club and country last time around. At San Siro, he contributed four goals and five assists in all competitions, giving him a total of nine goals, which is more than Shaw (seven G/A) and Malacia (zero G/A) did in 2022–23.

The former Atletico Madrid youth product, who had 15 goals and 15 assists the year before, was also praised for his performance in the World Cup in Qatar. Simon Kjaer, a clubmate, called his abilities “crazy” and added:

“Theo can do a lot of things on the pitch because to his running, physique, and shooting. He stands out among the crowd.

The flying full-back, who has contributed to 52 goals in 167 appearances for Milan, was once dubbed a “absolute beast” by talent scout Jacek Kulig. The Argentine powerhouse might complement Martinez down the left-flank by providing strong defensive support for Hernandez.

The World Cup champion centre back, 25, has established himself as a formidable opponent for any attacker on the other team. His ability to win the ball is demonstrated by the fact that he is in the top 6% of players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles made.

The left-footed star, described as a “warrior” by pundit Adrian Mariappa, is also “so clean and composed” when he has the ball, according to club legend Patrice Evra. This poise is demonstrated by the fact that the former Ajax star consistently carries the ball out of defence with ease and ranks in the top 11% of his peers for successful take-ons.

It would probably be Hernandez’s dream to have a player who is so at ease in possession playing alongside him, and the Frenchman would also be conscious that he could bomb forward at any time, secure in the knowledge that he has a truly dominant, defensive presence behind him.

Even while it would seem impossible that such a partnership will be performed at the Theatre of Dreams the following term, simply picturing that matching can cause genuine exhilaration.