Erik ten Hag has obvious £122million solution to Manchester United defensive woes

You know it has been a bad season when David de Gea is recognised amongst his Manchester United peers as the standout performer of the campaign.

It is the fourth time De Gea has won the Players' Player of the Year accolade. Every time he has done that has been in a season where United finished trophyless. Half of them have been in campaigns when a manager has been sacked.

The Spaniard isn't flawless and his distribution is still an issue, but with Dean Henderson set to leave this summer, the former Atletico Madrid man will once again be the No.1 next season under Erik ten Hag.

READ MORE: The core group of top players Erik ten Hag will inherit at Manchester United

If De Gea retains the accolade next season, then Ten Hag would be lucky to still be in a job, and the Dutchman is well aware that the success of his debut season at Old Trafford will rely heavily on solidifying a porous defence.

The immediate reaction to strengthening a backline is to suggest millions must be spent on signing another centre-back, but Ten Hag might already have an obvious partnership at his disposal to stop the rot.

Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane are a defensive duo who cost the club £122million. They have both struggled at times this season, though together they still remain a formidable presence.

In matches when the duo started together, United conceded less than a goal a game and lost just twice. The stats are even more impressive when you consider that one of those losses came against Aston Villa when Maguire had been forced off through injury, with the winner coming after he had been replaced.

United's loss rate with Maguire and Varane last season was just 13 per cent, while they lost 38 per cent of the matches in which the partnership was