Brandon Williams has overcome a tough debut at Ipswich Town to become an undisputed first-team member and he has now marked his rise with a sensational solo goal.

Kieran McKenna’s side brushed aside Preston 4-2 in an entertaining game which will be remembered for Williams’ sensational solo effort.

Williams was aggressive in his tackle and smartly nicked the ball away from the Preston player deep in his own half.

From there on, he went on a slaloming run down the right side before piercing into the box and hitting a low drive with his right foot in the far bottom corner.

Brandon Williams just kept running and running and running!

This sensational solo effort helped set up Ipswich’s entertaining win over Preston @EFL | @SkyBetChamp pic.twitter.com/SYjyQpMvMC

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 7, 2023

It was the goal that put Ipswich back in the lead after Preston had equalised to make the score 1-1 less than 10 minutes earlier.

It was Williams’ second goal in Ipswich colours as he is enjoying life under former United coach McKenna at high-flying Ipswich.

United have not included a mandatory buy option in the deal so the better he performs, the more is the chance for the club to make a good profit from his sale.

Moreover, he is already a crucial member of the first team at Ipswich and has worked under McKenna before, making it an ideal move for both parties.

The perfect scenario for United would be for Ipswich to get promoted and gain the riches that come with it so that they can extract a good fee for the player.

Ipswich do have the option to buy the player wherein United can trigger the one-year optional extension in his contract to extend it to 2025, thereby stopping him from leaving on a free transfer.

However, as unlikely as it might seem at present, maybe he can salvage his career at United if he keeps up his current form!

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Williams, a left back by trade, scored the diving header from the inside right position after the Tractor Boys looked set to lose their first game of the season.

Another view of yesterday’s equaliser. #itfc pic.twitter.com/HovUBVShGK

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) October 1, 2023

It is ironic that a United left back is the hero of the weekend when the Red Devils themselves have no recognised senior players available in the position.

Williams was loaned to Ipswich just hours before news broke that Luke Shaw had suffered an inury that would keep him out of action until November.

Tyrell Malacia, Shaw’s normal backup, was already injured.

United then loaned a left back themselves, Sergio Reguilon of Spurs, before letting starlet Alvaro Fernandez also leave on loan, to Granada.

Reguilon is now himself injured.

Livewire Williams was also one of the East Anglian side’s heroes in midweek when they dumped Premier League side Wolves out of the Carabao Cup in a dramatic 3-2 win.

They now have a home draw against Fulham in the next round.

Former United coach Kieran McKenna has transformed Ipswich since his arrival in December 2021.

He won seven of his first 10 matches in charge to secure their safety in that first half season.

2022/23 saw them win automatic promotion to the Championship, where they have got off to a flyer. They currently lie second behind Leicester City.

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Now, he has had a horror full debut at his new club, scoring an own goal less than two minutes into his first start for the club.

Williams started his first game for Ipswich in the League Cup second round against Reading after coming off the bench on the weekend against Leeds United.

Immediately after the kickoff, a shot from the opposition was parried away by Ipswich goalkeeper Cieran Slicker.

The parried shot hit Williams’ boot and went into his own net as he suffered a moment to forget on his first start for his new club.

Ipswich eventually equalised and the game finished 2-2, going into penalties.

The full-back didn’t even have a chance to atone for his own goal as he had already been subbed off by then. His team won the shootout to progress to the third round, where Williams will hope to have a better time.

The Manchester United academy product joined former coach Kieran Mckenna at Ipswich this summer after falling out of the rotation at United.

It is a season-long loan with no option to buy for the Championship outfit.

His contract expires next year but United have an option to trigger a one-year extension.

The club’s hope will be that Williams plays well at Ipswich, raises his valuation, and comes back to the club as a highly-sought player like Dean Henderson once was.

From there, the extension can be triggered to sell him on for a fee. However, early signs have not been good. All parties involved- the player, Ipwsich, and United- will be hoping this is just a blip instead of a sign of things to come.

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Manager Erik ten Hag has to deal with issues related to the midfield, which has looked imbalanced, leaving far too much space for the opposition to counter which Casemiro has struggled to thwart on his own.

Then there is the question of profligacy from his attacking stars. The team has created numerous chances but none of the forwards look capable of putting the ball in the back of the net.

While the manager must have been thinking of rectifying these issues through the transfer market, mounting injury problems are threatening to derail those plans.

Shaw’s injury worse than initial thought, causing panic

Initially, injuries were suffered by Kobbie Mainoo and later by Mason Mount which prompted talks of not only adding a defensive midfielder but also a roaming playmaker in the mould of Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich.

But last night, United suffered a major blow with left-back Luke Shaw suffering from a muscular injury which would keep him out of the team for a few weeks.

Now The Manchester Evening News has confirmed that the prognosis is worse than initially feared and the full-back could be out for two months.

“Manchester United fear Luke Shaw could be out for up to two months with a muscular injury. Although United say Shaw is out for ‘a number of weeks’ it is understood his injury is worse than first thought.

“United are in the market for a left-back due to the potentially lengthy timeframe of Shaw’s absence and United are now without a senior out-and-out left-back.”

Due to a limited budget and obvious deficiencies up front and in midfield to fix, it remains to be seen whether United can splurge to fix this latest issue.

The problems have been exacerbated due to the fact that the Red Devils are currently without an out-and-out senior left back with Tyrell Malacia still sidelined since pre-season.

United also confirmed the departure of Brandon Williams on loan to Championship side Ipswich Town, which leaves Alvaro Fernandez and Diogo Dalot as the only options available at the Dutchman’s disposal.

The Portuguese did play there last season and also has experience of playing there during his loan stint at AC Milan.

Ten Hag’s potential solutions

The other option is Fernandez, who shone out on loan at Preston North End last season but is still considered raw for Premier League football.

There were reports that the Reds were mulling over his sale but The Peoples Person wrote about a straight loan to Granada CF that the club was working on.

Now those plans might need to be recalibrated. Dalot will still require backup and the young Spaniard might just see himself thrust into the deep end.

The manager can also utilise Lisandro Martinez there should he choose while Jonny Evans could be a wildcard option or the manager might tweak his system to do away with full-backs and use wing backs.

Plenty to ponder for Ten Hag at the moment.

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More transfer activity is expected at Manchester United ahead of the summer transfer window deadline, with the club working on numerous outgoings and incomings.

Erik ten Hag is keen to add to his squad but United need to offload players first and raise capital before they can splash more cash in the market.

One player that has secured a move away from Old Trafford for the remainder of the season is academy graduate Brandon Williams.

United have confirmed that the full-back will spend the campaign with Championship side Ipswich Town, who have agreed a year-long loan deal for the player.

The 22-year-old will be hoping to impress under former United coach Kieran McKenna, who has enjoyed a fantastic spell at the helm of the East Anglian outfit.

United also hope the deal is a success with the view of increasing Williams’ valuation before trying to sell him next summer.

An option to buy clause was reportedly discussed between the two clubs but as reported by Teamtalk, the deal is a straight season long loan.

His contract ends next season but United have the option of triggering a one-year extension and if Williams succeeds under his former coach, there is a good chance the Red Devils can sell him for a decent fee as compared to his current valuation.

Williams’ career has stuttered at United since he first broke into the first team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in 2019.

The full-back, who was injured for the first part of last season, made a solitary appearance for United in the Carabao Cup and he is not part of Ten Hag’s plans going forward.

Williams has spoken about the move and says he’s looking forward to getting started as he looks to revive his career after a difficult couple of seasons.

“It feels good to be down here and I can’t wait to get started. I’m coming here to hopefully get into the team and play a lot of games.

“There is some very good competition, which is a great challenge, but I’m excited to meet the players and get started,” he said.

Williams will be desperate to make his Ipswich debut at the weekend as they entertain Leeds at Portman Road, hoping to keep up their 100% record at the start of the campaign

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Erik ten Hag took over a bloated squad in which he didn’t fancy many players and the culling of the team is gathering pace as the window inches towards its end.

The People’s Person recently reported that Brandon Williams, one of the many expendable players at United, is close to a move to Ipswich Town in the Championship.

Now, further details of the deal have emerged that will see the United academy graduate leave the club.

The Athletic reports that the deal will see Williams move to Ipswich town on an initial loan deal for one year.

The Championship outfit will then have a choice to make the loan permanent due to an option to buy included in the deal if the initial discussions over the clause are successful.

If/when he leaves, it would bring to an end a whirlwind four years for Williams at United.

He broke through in 2019 as a replacement for a lacklustre Luke Shaw and immediately won the fans over with his battling displays and heart-on-the-sleeve style of play.

Consequently, he was awarded a new contract with a big pay rise but Shaw came back from the shadows to win his spot back, never relinquishing it since.

It left United with the same problem that has plagued them with many contracts handed under the Ed Woodward regime. Players were awarded hefty salaries on the back of short-term patches of good form, rendering them unsellable in the future.

Williams became a similar case. His value has tanked after a lost last season, where an injury restricted him to just five appearances in all competitions.

United and the player will now hope that former United coach Kieran Mckenna, who is flying high with Ipswich can turn the player’s fortunes around so the club can get a fee for him in the future.

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All summer, it has been indicated that Williams is one of the players Erik ten Hag is keen to sell in the event that a suitable offer arrives.

As United faced Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, the Englishman was not included in the travelling squad.

Ten Hag explained that Williams, alongside Donny van de Beek, were left out as they are currently concerned with engineering exits away from Old Trafford.

That seems to have come to pass quickly in Williams’ case as Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke now reports that a move to Ipswich Town for Williams is close.

Understand Manchester United defender Brandon Williams is poised to join Ipswich Town. #MUFC #itfc

— Pete O'Rourke (@SportsPeteO) August 22, 2023

At one point during the window, it looked like Leeds would be the Carrington academy graduate’s next destination.

The Yorkshire club were heavily interested in Williams but links went cold after a while.

At Ipswich Town, the 22-year-old will get the chance to work once more with Kieran McKenna, who was a key member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom staff during the Norwegian’s tenure at the club.

The Tractor Boys seem to be intent on using some of McKenna’s connections to land United-affiliated players. They were also reportedly keen on Axel Tuanzebe, who is currently a free agent.

It remains unclear on which terms Williams would be added to the ranks at Ipswich Town, whether as a loan signing or on a permanent basis that would see United get a transfer fee.

Norwich supporters are unlikely to take kindly to the full-back’s imminent switch to their arch rivals. Williams of course spent the 2021/22 season at Carrow Road on loan.

Despite Williams becoming a fan favourite for a while, the Canaries suffered relegation that year.

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Manchester United started the game well, created some good chances, but failed to convert them.

The hosts took control in the second half and buried their two chances to get the three points.

Despite the setback, Ten Hag found positives in the team’s performance, especially in the first half.

“I liked the first half, a very good performance, but we have to score. We created good chances, really good press and had many chances to score,” he reflected.

The manager’s comments highlight the team’s potential and the need for clinical finishing to capitalize on created opportunities.

Ten Hag on Romero: "Absolutely a penalty. He changes the direction of the ball." #MUFC

— Shamoon Hafez (@ShamoonHafez) August 19, 2023

Ten Hag: "I liked the first half, a very good performance but we have to score. We created good chances, really good press and had many chances to score." #MUFC

— Shamoon Hafez (@ShamoonHafez) August 19, 2023

Ten Hag also praised the midfield’s performance, noting, “Midfield played well, it was good.”

However, he was quick to point out areas of improvement, emphasizing that the team can always do better and should be wary of leaving spaces when pushing forward.

In addition to discussing the game, Ten Hag addressed the notable absences of players Donny Van de Beek and Brandon Williams from the lineup.

Their absence had sparked speculation about potential transfers, and Ten Hag confirmed these suspicions. “We need players totally with their heads in our team… it’s obvious they are looking for something else,” he remarked.

This statement suggests that both players might be on the brink of exiting the club, as they seem to be exploring other opportunities.

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Both young players that have attracted interest from several clubs this summer, Brandon Williams and Alvaro Fernandez are two left-backs who are hoping to achieve a breakthrough in their Manchester United careers this season.

While Williams remains a firm target for Leeds United, Fernandez is attracting interest from Burnley and Real Betis, showing that both young left-backs’ talents haven’t gone unnoticed.

Still, with Man United potentially in the market to sign the likes of central midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and a new centre-back such as Benjamin Pavard, United may need to offload one of these young fullbacks as they look to free up some much-needed transfer funds.

What’s more, with both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia higher in the pecking order, it wouldn’t be realistic for both of these players to enjoy the moment in the spotlight.

The question is, between Williams and Fernandez, which player is more deserving of another season at Old Trafford while the other is sold this summer?

Last season, Williams racked up just 350 minutes of football across four Premier League 2 matches for the Red Devils.

This is a far less prominent performance than in 2021/22 when the former England U21 player appeared in 26 Premier League matches for Norwich City.

While he was able to guide his team to a 2-1 win over Liverpool while captaining his team to a clean sheet in a goalless draw with Crystal Palace in 2022/23, he also served as United’s captain in a 3-1 loss to Chelsea as well as a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City.

Although his minutes were severely limited due to injury, one can only work with the statistics that exist, meaning that there were not many bright moments to reflect on from the 22 year old’s previous campaign.

Williams was able to increase his minutes during United’s preseason tour, appearing in fixtures against Leeds United, Lyon, Arsenal, and Real Madrid.

Still, the Englishman never hit flying form, with his best performance arguably coming against Arsenal, when he won two of two ground duels and made two interceptions while also blocking a shot. (Sofascore)

Fernandez’s previous season proved far more eventful, with the Spaniard spending the last campaign at Preston North End.

Making 42 appearances in all competitions for Preston, Fernandez established himself as the team’s fullback of choice, providing six assists as he lifted his team to a 12th-placed finish in the Championship.

The 20 year old continued his fine form as he returned to United in the pre-season.

He was one of United’s few impressive players during the 3-0 loss to Wrexham on the U.S. Tour, completing 39 of his 46 passes while showing great physicality by winning seven of his 11 total duels.

Fernandes also performed decently during United’s final pre-season game against Athletic Bilbao, winning five of his eight duels and making a team-leading seven interceptions.

There is no doubt that Williams is a talented player, which is why Daniel Farke, who was Norwich boss during his 2021/22 loan, wants him now at Leeds United. But it’s Fernandez who proved to be the more explosive player throughout the course of last season as well as throughout the pre-season.

Leeds’ interest means that United may just be able to engineer a sale before transfer deadline day.

Considering recent form and overall consistency, Fernandez seems like the player that United should hold onto, while the sale of Williams would help to fund one final transfer for United this summer.

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Manager Erik ten Hag will be eager to strengthen in the middle of the park, at the back and possibly up front but for any late deal to take place, the club will need to offload a few first-team stars.

It looked like former captain Harry Maguire would be joining Fred, who has gone to Fenerbahce, to leave Old Trafford but his West Ham move has stalled.

But the Dutch boss is not happy with the situation and as per The Manchester Evening News, he wants at least three more outgoings to take place as he looks to mould the squad in his own image and raise further capital.

United have struggled to offload players

Among the players mentioned who the manager does not want around at the club moving forward are Eric Bailly, Brandon Williams, and Donny van de Beek.

“Manchester United intend to sell at least three more players before the transfer window closes but Harry Maguire’s move to West Ham has stalled.

“Eric Bailly and Brandon Williams have both been told they are free to leave permanently if a suitable offer arrives. Bailly had his squad number revoked last week while Williams is fourth-choice left-back and was informed it is in his interests to leave and get regular playing time elsewhere.

“United have held discussions over the possible permanent sale of Donny van de Beek to Real Sociedad and the Dutchman was not named in the squad for the opening Premier League win over Wolves.”

However, moving the trio on has not been easy. The Ivorian was supposed to move to Marseille but they chose to not make the loan permanent last season after getting fed up with his injury and poor disciplinary record.

Since then, moves to Real Betis and Besiktas have reportedly broken down while a move to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Alex Telles at Al-Nassr has not worked out either.

Williams did play a significant part in pre-season but the mistakes he committed ensured that his prospects of playing regularly under the manager did not improve.

Championship outfit Leeds United have been credited with having interest but nothing concrete has panned out as yet.

Can ETH and United get more deals over the line?

Van de Beek has not enjoyed the best of times since his move to Old Trafford and despite Ten Hag’s arrival, the versatile midfielder has failed to regain the form he showed during his Ajax days.

Real Sociedad have been in talks over landing a loan move with an option to buy but United would prefer either a permanent deal or a mandatory purchase clause.

United’s asking price and the player’s wages have led to talks of a possible deal breaking down.

The trio are not expected to fetch too large a sum but someone who could have was Dean Henderson as he is an academy graduate.

However, following Tom Heaton’s injury, there are chances Henderson stays put, and that reduces United’s chances of raising capital which could affect potential incomings.

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