A pundit has criticised Erik ten Hag and Manchester United for failing to keep ‘unbelievable striker’ Edinson Cavani past the current campaign.
Cavani was in great form during his debut season at Old Trafford, scoring 17 times in 39 matches. But this campaign has been a struggle for the Uruguay international.
The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo immediately saw him fall down the pecking order. Groin, tendon and calf injuries have also limited his impact on Manchester United.
During 2021-22, Cavani has made just 19 appearances in all competitions. And only two goals have come his way in that time.
Cavani seems to like the club, while a majority of the fans adore him for his hard-working nature on the pitch.
But the 35-year-old appears set to part ways with the Red Devils this summer. Fabrizio Romano claims Cavani wants to move on and start fresh somewhere else.
His ideal destination is Spain. This would give the veteran goalscorer his first stint in La Liga, with his previous European teams being Palermo, Napoli and then Paris Saint-Germain.
As Cavani’s contract runs out on June 30, he can leave United on a free transfer.
Erik ten Hag slammed for ‘mistake number one’
Former West Ham player Frank McAvennie thinks letting Cavani go is ‘mistake number one’ for incoming manager Ten Hag.
“Well it looks like Cavani is going which is a ludicrous decision,” McAvennie said during an interview with Football Insider.
“He is an unbelievable striker and he is streets ahead of some of the other attackers there, let me tell you.
“When he plays, he scores, It’s as simple as that. But for whatever reason, he hasn’t played this season.
“He has the appearances but they are all off the bench. You see the likes of Sancho and Rashford playing but they are both struggling.
“Next season is going to be tough for them, there will be a lot of new players. You need an experienced head to keep the peace and keep everything stable.
“Cavani would be perfect for that, even if he doesn’t play so much.
“I know Ten Hag hasn’t even come through the door yet but this looks like mistake number one to me.”
It’s a bit harsh to blame Ten Hag for Cavani’s exit. The Dutchman can speak with the attacker to try and convince him to stay, but ultimately the decision rests with the player.
Plus, Ten Hag is likely to select Ronaldo as his usual striker next season. That means Cavani would have to spend most of his time on the bench, even if he is fit.
Meanwhile, a journalist has revealed where Jesse Lingard would like to play once he leaves the Theatre of Dreams – like Cavani – in the summer.
