Once again in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, Manchester United find themselves at something of a crossroads, with a decision to be made whether to stick or twist with regard to manager, Erik ten Hag.

In years gone by, a run of 12 defeats in 24 games this season would have seen many managers shown the door, yet the Dutchman's fine work last season – as well as the continued off-field uncertainty at Old Trafford – is seemingly working in his favour.

With goodwill toward the former Ajax man quickly depleting, however, he will need to start putting together a consistent run of results sooner rather than later, or risk going the way of his predecessors.

One potential short-term solution for the 53-year-old could be to look to the January window in order to acquire fresh recruits, with recent reports indicating that the United boss may potentially be able to bolster his backline with the signing of AC Milan titan, Fikayo Tomori.

Man Utd transfer news – Fikayo Tomori

According to Italian outlet Milan Web, the Red Devils are seemingly 'pressing' to secure the signing of the former Chelsea man, with the 25-year-old having caught the eye amid his standout showings at San Siro in recent years.

The report indicates that United's interest in the centre-back is only likely to get 'stronger', albeit with doubts persisting over whether the Serie A side would sanction a sale next month – thus making a summer move perhaps more likely.

Either way, if the Englishman is signed in the winter or at the end of the season, Ten Hag and co could potentially be able to strike something of a bargain, with the one-time Derby County loanee seemingly available for 'just' €40m (£34m).

While the indication is that the player would command a 'large salary', such an investment could well be worthwhile for the Premier League side – particularly amid reports that Raphael Varane could be on his way in 2024.

Fikayo Tomori's style of play

Despite Tomori having been unable to truly establish himself at Stamford Bridge prior to moving to Milan in 2021, United should have little concern over his ability to thrive back in English football, particularly amid his apparent likeness to current Old Trafford star, Lisandro Martinez.

That statistical and stylistic likeness – which is noted by FBref – should well pique the interest of those in Manchester, with Martinez notably thriving in his debut season last term, proving to be an "absolute monster" at the back, in the words of teammate Luke Shaw.

While the Argentine has been sidelined by injury for much of the current impact, his impact in 2022/23 was simply colossal following his arrival from Ajax, having arguably been one of the "best signings" in "years", according to club legend, Patrice Evra.

The hope would be that Tomori would be able to replicate that success in a United shirt if a deal was to be agreed, with the similarity between the pair evident due to their defensive prowess, with the Englishman averaging 2.12 tackles and 1.71 blocks per 90 across the last 365 days, while Martinez only just ahead as he averages 2.46 and 1.94 for those same two metrics, respectively.

The duo are also both adept on the ball, with Tomori ranking in the top 19% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, while his United counterpart ranks in the top 16% in that regard.

Such all-round brilliance was only recently evident as Stefano Pioli's side defeated Newcastle United in the Champions League in midweek, with the Canada-born sensation producing a stunning goalline block, while also going close to getting himself on the scoresheet late on – only to see his effort cannon off the post.

That "masterful performance" – as described by journalist Matteo Bonetti – was further proof of the strides that the five-cap international has made since leaving west London, having also claimed the Serie A title back in 2022.

To then acquire such a talent to potentially partner Martinez moving forward could well spell bad news for renaissance man, Harry Maguire, with the 30-year-old likely to be fearing for his long-term role in the side.

How Tomori compares to Harry Maguire

Cast your mind back to the summer, when for all the world it looked like Maguire was heading for the exit, with rumours rife regarding a possible move to West Ham United, while the former Leicester City man was also stripped of the captaincy by Ten Hag.

As fate would have it, the £80m man stayed to try and fight for his place at Old Trafford, with that persistence and self-belief paying off as he has since forced his way back to becoming a first-team regular of late – even winning the Premier League's Player of the Month award for November.

For all the plaudits flooding his way, however, it remains to be seen if Maguire will remain Ten Hag's go-to man in 2024, particularly with reports suggesting last season that the defender's 'sluggish pace' was deemed an issue.

Adding a younger, more mobile option like Tomori – who has been lauded for his "great physical attributes" by Milan legend, Franco Baresi – could then see Maguire return to his place on the bench, with the ex-Blues star seemingly outperforming his compatriot this season.

Tomori

Maguire

14 (14)

11 (9)

2/0

0/1

91%

83%

5

3

1.2

1.2

1.9

0.9

5.3

3.6

60%

60%

7.3

9.5

As shown in bold in the table above, it is Tomori who comes out on top in almost every metric, indicating the possible upgrade that Ten Hag could have on his hands in the heart of the backline.

Maguire is undoubtedly shining at present, but whether this recent resurgence continues remains to be seen…