Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka continues to fall down the England pecking order. Right now he looks a million miles away and if he has international ambitions he may have to take up his option to represent DR Congo.
Wan-Bissaka has not made a senior appearance for the Three Lions, having been forced to withdraw from the squad when he received his only call-up to date in August 2019.
The 24-year-old’s progress at Old Trafford has grinded to a significant halt and it wouldn’t be unfair to say that he is actually regressing rather than improving.
Signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from Crystal Palace for £50m (BBC Sport) in June 2019, at the age of 21, Wan-Bissaka came to the Theatre of Dreams with huge potential.
Manchester United hoped that they had signed a right-back who could form part of the first team for the next decade and would develop attacking instincts to compliment his one-v-one defensive skills.
But three years on and the Red Devils’ frustration with the lack of improvement and development in Wan-Bissaka’s game is more than understandable.
Both the England Under-21 international and Diogo Dalot have failed to nail down the right-back spot despite being given ample chances by interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
Heading into the summer transfer window, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see United try and sign a modern day right-back where contributing to the side’s attacking play comes naturally to them.
United’s number 29 is at his most comfortable when he is sliding into tackles, but that isn’t going to cut it at Manchester United – we need more. His reluctance to go forward remains and he never looks comfortable in possession.
It also seems that Wan-Bissaka is falling further down the England pecking order by the week.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James pulling out of the squad for this month’s friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast, Gareth Southgate handed Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters his first call-up.
While Southgate is the Three Lions boss it’s hard envisage him having a change of view on Wan-Bissaka.
Matty Cash, who was likely ahead of Wan-Bissaka in Southgate’s eye, has opted to represent Poland and a decision on Wan-Bissaka’s international future is probably drawing nearer with every passing England snub he gets.
The number of English full-backs that are leaving Aaron Wan-Bissaka trailing in his wake surely cannot be going unnoticed at Manchester United, and with Ethan Laird and Brandon Williams returning in pre-season, the academy graduates will probably fancy their chances of surpassing the £50m man.
English right-backs ahead of Wan-Bissaka
- Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
- Reece James (Chelsea)
- Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United)
- Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton)
- Tariq Lamptey (Brighton)
- James Justin (Leicester City)
- Tino Livramento (Southampton)
- Max Aarons (Norwich City)
- Djed Spence (on loan at Nottingham Forest from Middlesbrough)
- Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough)
- Ben Johnson (West Ham)
- Brandon Williams (on loan at Norwich City from Manchester United)
- Ethan Laird (on loan at Bournemouth from Manchester United)
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