Mark Hughes needs to act quickly to find a replacement for Marko Arnautovic. But could the Manchester United man be the answer?
Mark Hughes is likely on the lookout for a suitable replacement for Marko Arnautovic, who is having a medical at West Ham United, reports SkySports.
Ashley Young, 32, has been at Manchester United since 2011, but Hughes must believe that the former England winger is still a player that could be a force in the Premier League. Stoke City have made initial enquiries about the former Aston Villa winger’s availability, says the Sun.
Manchester United’s Ashley Young in action
Young has a year left to run on his contract and an option for a further 12 months, but Stoke City should have plenty of funds from the sale of Arnautovic. The question will be, does Young want to join Stoke City?
Leaving a club like Manchester United is never an easy decision for a player and while Young could have gone to the Chinese Super League in the last transfer window, as reported by the Daily Mail, he didn’t go.
Stoke City is a lot closer to home, but does it offer Young an exciting enough challenge? Young may feel that he needs more playing time and that he might not get that at Old Trafford. But he is not going to have the quality of player around him at the Bet365 stadium as he would if he plays for Mourinho.
Manchester United will also be in the Champions League next season, and while Young has been used sparingly as a wing back, he is a player that José Mourinho can rely on as a versatile squad player.
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes will need to use all his charm in getting Young to see a brighter future at Stoke City. Young would be more than reasonable to think he deserves to see out his contract and choose his next club in the summer, perhaps after a successful farewell season at United.
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