Adnan Januzaj’s future at Manchester United in the balance

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/29/adnan-januzaj-manchester-united-loan

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Adnan Januzaj’s immediate future at Manchester United is in the balance, with Louis van Gaal considering whether the 20-year-old forward should go out on loan next season.

The player has struggled to establish himself under the new manager after last year’s breakthrough campaign under David Moyes. Januzaj had to wait until 20 October to be given a first start by Van Gaal – in a 2-2 draw at West Bromwich Albion – and he has made only eight in total.

Despite signing a five-year deal last October, which the Belgium international’s agent claimed rewarded him better than “Ronaldo and Messi when they were 18”, and being handed Ryan Giggs’s No11 shirt for this season, Januzaj’s career at Old Trafford has stalled.

With four matches left of the season he has made a total of 20 appearances and has yet to score. Last year he made 35 appearances, of which 19 were starts, scoring four times.

This lack of regular football coupled with the potential arrival of PSV Eindhoven’s Memphis Depay, who is the Eredivisie’s top scorer with 21 goals in 28 starts, may convince Van Gaal that Januzaj should be allowed to consider a temporary move.

Depay’s performances have helped lead PSV to the Dutch championship and his goal tally is impressive for a player who, like Januzaj, has thus far operated mainly as a wide player. As Depay is only a year older than Januzaj his arrival would offer a further threat to future first-team prospects.

Phil Jones, meanwhile, is hopeful of signing a new deal at Manchester United, with negotiations ongoing regarding the 23-year-old’s terms. The central defender’s contract expires at the end of next season and it is thought Jones will follow Chris Smalling in committing his future to United until at least 2019.

Although Jones is currently injured he and Smalling have impressed Van Gaal on the seven occasions they have played together this year. However the infrequency of their appearances together has meant their ability to form a regular partnership has been questioned.

Van Gaal still favours adding at least one central defender in the close season, and Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels remains the manager’s No1 choice.