Man United face shirt number ordeal with three players in talks to sign for Erik ten Hag

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United could be facing an awkward shirt number headache this summer.

United are revamping their squad as Sir Jim Ratcliffe oversees his first summer in charge of football operations, with Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte and Sofyan Amrabat all potentially heading to Old Trafford on permanent deals. United are believed to be in discussions to sign Dutch defender De Ligt, 24, from Bayern Munich, while Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Ugarte is also on the radar.

Additionally, Fiorentina's Amrabat could return on a permanent basis following his loan spell. However, securing those players won't be the only challenge for United as they also need to keep them happy, since all three have shown a preference for the No.4 jersey in their careers to date.

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Amrabat, 27, wore that number under Ten Hag last season, while 23-year-old Ugarte took the same number at PSG after his move there last year. Ten Hag is expected to discuss with Dan Ashworth about making Amrabat's deal permanent.

Having previously worked together at Eredivisie club Utrecht, Amrabat might have an advantage in retaining his preferred shirt number at United. Alternatively, the Morocco international could take over the No.34 – the number he previously wore for four seasons in Serie A, should Donny van de Beek, as expected, leave this summer.

Of the three players mentioned, centre-back De Ligt is perhaps the most logical No.4 from a traditional standpoint. Fellow defenders Nemanja Vidic, Jonny Evans, Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce and Phil Jones are some of the United