Regardless of the result, Erik ten Hag has helped the Red Devils regain some pride, and with the summer transfer window just around the corner, he may be able to add to his squad's strength in order to win more esteemed awards in the future.
Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani appear to be the major targets as he looks to improve his attacking options, but there will undoubtedly be improvements made across the board.
According to O Jogo (via Sport Witness), the Old Trafford team has lately been linked with defender Goncalo Inacio. Sporting CP will expect a cost in the neighborhood of £45 million should Ten Hag look to make an offer for the player, which is well within their budget.
Victor Lindelof is undoubtedly one defender who may leave United this summer if the Dutchman makes a move for Inacio.
During the early part of the season, the Swedish defender was ranked lower than Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, but after the Argentinean sustained a season-ending injury in April, he was able to regain some form.
He received "unbelievable" praise from journalist Liam Canning during the victory over AFC Bournemouth in May, and he appeared revitalized under Ten Hag as he averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.12 over his final five league games.
By adding Inacio to the team, he might fall even further behind Varane, Martinez, and the 21-year-old by the upcoming season.
In fact, Inacio poses a greater offensive threat from center back than Lindelof, with more touches in the attacking third (140 to 35) and shot-creating actions (1.98 to 0.4) per 90, which may be advantageous for Ten Hag.
Across Europe's top five leagues over the previous 365 days, the Portuguese player ranks in the top 1% for progressive passes and top 3% for progressive carries, while the Swedish player ranks in just the top 59% and 48% respectively. This suggests that Inacio is significantly more adept at getting the ball out of defense and launching attacks from the back than the current United player.
The 6-foot-1 defender has even been termed "underrated" by journalist Zach Lowy; having experience in the Premier League and Champions League for United next season could help the teenager advance to the next level.
Ten Hag needs to take action as soon as possible since, despite the price tag mentioned before, the decision might turn out to be extremely beneficial in the years to come.
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