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Manchester United: Frank McAvennie slams ‘ludicrous’ Edinson Cavani decision
Former Scotland striker Frank McAvennie has slammed incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag for the decision to allow Edinson Cavani to leave the club this summer.
The lowdown: Cavani exit pending
This comes after reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that the Uruguayan was set to move on at the end of the season.
Out of contract in July (Transfermarkt), the 35-year-old can leave Old Trafford as a free agent and appears set to do so despite the imminent arrival of Ten Hag.
That news has riled one pundit who believes that United have missed a trick in not offering the veteran marksman an extended stay in Manchester…
The latest: McAvennie slams Ten Hag’s decision on Cavani
Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie suggested that Ten Hag would hve been best served in attempting to keep a player of the Uruguayan’s class at Old Trafford.
The 62-year-old said: “Well it looks like Cavani is going which is a ludicrous decision.
“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.”
The verdict: Correct call by Ten Hag
McAvennie is likely to be somewhat of an outlier on this one.
Whilst Cavani made a superb impact upon his arrival in Manchester, with pundits and team-mates alike jumping on the bandwagon to hail the 130-cap Uruguay star, this season has been one to forget for the 35-year-old for many reasons.
So far in the current campaign, the former Napoli predator has scored just twice in 19 appearances for the Red Devils, missing 25 matches through various injury issues and ultimately being below-par when called upon compared to the exploits of 2020/21.
How many signings do Man Utd need to make this summer?
0-4
5-8
9+
As the club attempts to head in a new direction under Ten Hag, cutting ties with Cavani seems to be a smart move, particularly given the striker’s age and £250,000-per-week salary (Spotrac).
In other news: Ten Hag working on big free transfer after Man Utd meeting; agent now in England
