Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof has thrown his long-term future at Old Trafford into doubt amid a rough season under Erik ten Hag.
After slipping down the pecking order under the Dutch manager, the Sweden international could leave Manchester after six years to secure regular first-team action.
Currently on international duty with Janne Andersson’s team, the 28-year-old has confessed he would have to assess his future at Man Utd at the end of the season, leaving the door open for a potential exit.
“I want to play, that’s why I play football, but I don’t think about that – this summer, we will analyse the situation, and we’ll see what’s best,” he said, as relayed by Fabrizio Romano.
Romano’s report also states ten Hag himself vetoed Lindelof’s departure during the January transfer window, as Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan tried to prise the Swede away from the Theatre of Dreams.
The former Benfica centre-back used to be one of Man Utd’s most consistent performers for years after swapping Lisbon for the Premier League in 2017.
However, he has lost his starting berth this season to ten Hag’s trusted ally Lisandro Martinez, who followed in the footsteps of his manager last summer, leaving Ajax to link up with the Red Devils.
Lindelof has spent most of the season on the fringes of the squad, registering just five starts in the Premier League, as ten Hag continues to rely on Martinez and Raphael Varane as his preferred defensive pairing.
Desperate to get his career back on the rails and ensure regular first-team action, the Swede will reassess his options at the end of the season unless a dramatic U-turn in fortunes after March’s international break.
And with his contract running out in 2024, Man Utd may opt for a sale in the summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer at the end of next season.
