22nd May 2022 • Written by Alex Jones

Wan Last Roll of the Dice: A Strange Sort of Homecoming

Abbreviations have always held currency within internet culture. Just track the sheer number of ‘lmao’s and ‘lol’s sent each day and it’s clear to see how popular these terms are. Yet on the messageboards and Twitter feeds of South London, the acronym ‘AWB’ is perhaps even more revered.

Even 3 years after his departure, Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s name is sure to tug at the wistful heartstrings of Palace fans everywhere. Memories of masterful 1-on-1 prowess and sensational sliding tackles spring to mind, just as the wider story of the 18/19 season - one of the more enjoyable Roy Hodgson seasons - comes to the fore.

Indeed, there was much fanfare when Aaron Wan-Bissaka left for the princely sum of £50 million, with barely a full season of Premier League football under his belt. Manchester United, keen to acquire home-grown talent with the potential to transform their back line, added the breakout Palace star onto a conveyor belt of English talent streaming into their doors.

When big-money signings Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho joined Wan-Bissaka as part of a home-grown nucleus over the years (along with many of United’s own successful academy graduates), the bedrock for success looked to be in place.

Fast-forward to now, and the situation could not be further from the early promise that United’s core once displayed.

Fast-forward to now, and the situation could not be further from the early promise that United’s core once displayed.

A series of mistakes and poor performances culminated in both Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ralf Ragnick favouring Diogo Dalot at right back, with Wan-Bissaka’s playing time limited as a result. The Athletic have confirmed Wan-Bissaka’s curious fall from grace, with the defender now being linked with a homecoming back to a rejuvenated Crystal Palace side. United, meanwhile, are in a state of flux. 

In one of the worst-kept secrets in world football, the largesse of United’s bold transfer plans has blown back to bite them. They are left spectacularly struggling to forge any kind of strong identity or ability to compete with their title-chasing rivals. The Champions League places look to be a distant prospect for the foreseeable future, and ultimately, the Red Devils stare down the barrel of the best part of a decade of mediocrity and strategic failure.

It’s a far cry from the glory days - both for Aaron’s employers and Palace’s academy talent himself. So just how viable would a Palace return be for the right-back, and how has it come to this point?

The Link

According to The Athletic (unapologetically the gold standard of modern footballing journalism), Palace have been tentatively linked with re-signing AWB in a sensational return to SE25. It’s important not to jump the gun: his name is merely being discussed by figures within the club with regards to recruitment, and no concrete plans have been drawn up.

Further details suggest the club may seek to explore a loan deal with the option to re-acquire their former starlet on a permanent basis.

It’s no secret that Wan-Bissaka has failed to convince the United faithful that he has the versatility of a modern full-back. In a recent poll from Sky Sports, in which over 1.5 million people had their say, fans placed Wan-Bissaka as part of a swelling group of players that they felt should be sold off for the good of the club. So, with fan sentiment generally angling towards an AWB exit, what of the United hierarchy?

This is where the tale of Wan-Bissaka inevitably detours from his south London roots and towards his employers. 

With fan sentiment generally angling towards an AWB exit, what of the United hierarchy?

In the latest instalment of United’s attempts to reestablish itself as a competitive titan of global football, Ajax boss Erik ten Hag has been tasked with succeeding Ragnick as the club’s new manager. Interestingly, it marks the first time in history that both managers in the red and blue teams of Manchester are bald, but bolder still is the club’s naked ambition that comes with such an appointment.

The Dutch tactician ten Hag is not without a reputation as one of Europe’s most well-known up-and-coming managerial maestros. In that sense, he is totemic of a renewed approach; a relatively young and forward-thinking attacking coach that relishes flair, and has a proven record of blooding youngsters into the highest echelons.

This is why Wan-Bissaka should pay close attention to the appointment - and there’s no doubt he already is.

What does Wan-Bissaka need to do at United?

Another open secret of United: Palace’s once-loved all-action youngster is a victim of United’s latest cultural refresh.

Despite being a winger for the majority of his time in the Palace academy, Wan-Bissaka has never boasted much offensive prowess. Hodgson was more than happy to keep his full-backs far from the opposition box, and as a result Wan-Bissaka only picked up 2 goal contributions during his time at the club. This compromise allowed his aptitude for defending to shine, and he consistently kept quiet some of the league’s most notorious attackers. 

This “free pass” from attacking smothered his weaknesses from public view, and deceived the Red Devils into thinking that he was the best of 804 potential signings for their starting 11.

League Achievements for AWB in 2018/19 (in relation to all league full-backs, as per BT)

These stats speak for themselves. He was certainly robust as he was ruthless in sweeping up, and brought masterful consistency against elite opposition, shining above the rest in the process.

At Palace, he was aided by Roy Hodgson’s tactical preferences for stoic, restrained football that reduced offensive responsibility. His main test upon signing for United was to prove his adaptability and to develop offensively - no small task, but certainly one that is to be expected at a club playing attacking football - and he will be challenged similarly by Vieira should he be brought back to Selhurst Park.

For someone who was never truly coached as an attacking full-back, it is astounding that he has largely failed to contribute offensively when called upon despite having years of opportunities to be re-trained. 

At Palace, he was aided by Roy Hodgson’s tactical preferences for restrained football that reduced offensive responsibility.

With an xG score of just 0.2 all season, Wan-Bissaka has evidently struggled to link-up with his teammates and create chances at the other end of the pitch in the manner that most of his top-six peers at right-back are expected to do so. 

The same issue is long-term; he has overperformed xG slightly with 2 goals from 1.7 xGs, but this pales in comparison to the contributions of those around him. In fact, he has managed a meagre 5 shots on target in his entire United career to date [as of 2/5/22], something more akin to a centre-back.

The question remains: how have United failed to rehabilitate Wan-Bissaka in a new role? Well, ten Hag faces a dilemma.

Where does ten Hag come in?

What would you do with fifty million quid? There’s one thing you certainly wouldn’t do.

£50 million is a hefty sunk cost that United would stand next to no chance of recouping in the event of a sale, and something has clearly gone wrong from a coaching perspective. Developing a young asset moving quickly into the highest levels of world football takes a team effort - an effort, from a coaching perspective, that has eluded United.

Until now, perhaps.

There is no guarantee ten Hag will be a success - far from it - but as always, a new manager brings fresh impetus and opinion. Looking at ‘ten Hagball’, several themes pertinent to Wan-Bissaka’s position emerge.

For one, ten Hag prefers the self-confessed ‘beautiful football’ that comes with a 4-3-3 system and is no stranger to preferring a marauding full-back. That brings red flags for Wan-Bissaka, yet he deploys Daley Blind in a deeper and less offensive role in a slower, asymmetric system that places emphasis on controlling the tempo and retaining shape.

This more patient style of build-up with less pressing and more positional importance certainly could offer an avenue back in for Wan-Bissaka to shine. If deployed like a right-sided Blind at Ajax, the ex-Palace man could be asked to be more of a sharp defender and ball-carrier, with more emphasis on deeper passing rather than outright offensive play.

ten Hag's style of play certainly could offer an avenue back in for Wan-Bissaka to shine.

Given his left-sided counterparts include the more offensive Alex Telles and the dual-sided Diogo Dalot, there is certainly scope for asymmetry on the wings.

In short, there is a chance to play to Wan-Bissaka’s strengths again, whilst setting more reasonable expectations for his development in the process. However, the latest indications suggest that the full-back is not in ten Hag’s plans (as per Sky Sports).

Conversely, the true picture is unlikely to emerge until the market opens and the rumour mill is in full swing. As it stands, suitors could have a freer run at signing the defender - even if there is an argument for his rehabilitation under ten Hag.

Lastly, what about Palace?

It’s no secret that a reliance on the ageing Joel Ward and reliable but out-of-contract Nathaniel Clyne presents a weakness in Patrick Vieira’s high-intensity attacking 4-3-3 system. Both men have certainly looked accomplished at times, but it is nonetheless an area that requires strengthening in the long term.

Despite fresh investment from new stakeholder John Textor over the summer, it remains improbable that Palace will enjoy lavish resources to hurl around in the transfer market. As such, an outright fee would require huge sacrifices from next summer’s resources in all likelihood.

As a result, a loan (possibly with an option to buy) remains the strongest option on the cards. The caveat is that this is completely conditional on several fronts - most notably ten Hag’s willingness to let Wan-Bissaka leave (which appears likely), Palace’s financial limits and the wishes of the player himself all come into play.

The latter may be aided by the 2021/22 England call-ups of three young Eagles: Tyrick Mitchell, Marc Guéhi and Conor Gallagher. Wan-Bissaka is yet to make his debut for the Three Lions, and the recent successes of Palace’s young starlets will make that goal seem much more achievable than ever before.

Wan-Bissaka is yet to make his debut for the Three Lions, but the recent call-ups of Mitchell, Guehi and Gallagher show there is an international pathway at Palace.

Mind reading is no option, but the prospect of positive football in familiar surroundings and with friendly faces has to be enticing for the full-back. Given the England debuts for all three aforementioned talents too - and their general consistency all season - such an argument is certainly evidenced.

There is scope for a deal to be done, however distant or close the prospect might seem, but the perfect storm will be required from all parties. One thing’s for sure; Palace fans would relish the chance to see their former starlet back in red and blue.

There is a lingering feeling that the best is yet to come for Wan-Bissaka in his career, but which shirt he will reach fresh heights in remains to be seen.

❤️💙

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