Man Utd fans urge club to tie down “irreplaceable” defender

Manchester United fans have urged the club to renew the contract of ‘one of a kind’ defender Ona Batlle with just six months left to run on her current deal.
By Graham Falk
Published 14th Dec 2022, 15:52 BST
Updated 15th Dec 2022, 08:47 BST
Several Man Utd first team stars will see their contract expire in the summer. Several Man Utd first team stars will see their contract expire in the summer.
Several Man Utd first team stars will see their contract expire in the summer.

A number of first team stars are out of contract this coming summer, including the Lionesses star Alessia Russo, who has been linked with a move to Europe with Lyon interested.

Despite the goal scoring form of the 23-year-old though, fans have taken to social media site Twitter to urge the United board to make Spanish right back Ona Batlle their number one prirotity over the coming weeks.

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Signed by the club from Levante in 2020, the international defender quickly become a fans’ favourite with her marauding runs from full back, leading many pundits to claim her as one of the best full backs in world football.

A total of 13 players will see their contracts expire in the summer, with Battle, Russo, Mary Earps, Millie Turner, Hayley Ladd and Lucy Staniforth amongst the star names the club will have decisions to make on in the coming weeks and months.

Head coach Marc Skinner has urged patience when it comes to the contract renewals and recently said the club were “working hard” to ensure their future remained with the Red Devils. However, fans have become concerned they could lose star defender Batlle, with many of them saying she is the player they simply can not lose at the end of the current campaign.

Here is what Manchester United fans said when asked which player they would most like to see sign a new contract with the club:

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@opitza - “Ona definitely. We can replace the others, I don’t think we’ll ever find another Ona”.

@footy_work - “It's between Ona & Russo for me. It's close but between them, if I have to choose, it's Ona. We won't get a quality all round fullback like her. She is very important”.

@Namrata_Ydv - “It’s like making people choose their favourite child. I’d say Ona mainly because ever since she joined, I’ve expected her to leave to Barça after contract is up”.

@angiexxunited98 - “It has to be Ona. Lessi (Alessia Russo) is a close second”.

@BERGSVANDFC - “I love Lessi but ona is one of a kind and needs to be renewed asap”.

@ConnerRoberts_ - “Ona. 100%”.

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