Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been left with a transfer headache following Victor Lindelof's starring role in the FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton.
The clash at Wembley was just the Swede's 18th start of the season, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez both ahead of him in the pecking order at Old Trafford. But with Ten Hag's first-choice pairing out injured, potentially until the end of the season, Lindelof has stepped up.
He put in arguably his best performance in a United shirt on Sunday, scoring the winning penalty to send the Red Devils into the final. That performance came after Ten Hag challenged him to prove he had a future at Old Trafford.
"We have a squad - we have more than 11 starters - so now others are on and, when their time is there, you have to show and contribute to the team, you have to be ready. That is what we expect and that is what we demand," the United boss said just over a week ago.
“If you find excuses, if you want to find excuses, you have to look for another club. When the moment is there you have to contribute and that is what we demand. We have to adapt in the squad, we have to use the squad, that is also what we did against Sevilla.
“We have good players, but we have injuries, suspensions, so we adapt to the squad. They [Lindelof and Harry Maguire ] are decent centre-halves, they proved that in the past. This season, we have four or five very good centre-halves who can do the job."
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Lindelof handily answered that demand from Ten Hag at Wembley, making five clearances, 11 recoveries and winning five of his nine defensive duels. It leaves Ten Hag with something of a headache, given Lindelof has already admitted he will consider his future in the summer.
"Of course like every player, you want to play every game and obviously I have not done that this season. But I haven't thought about that, right now I'm focusing on the national team and then of course the rest of the season with the club," he said in March while on international duty.
"Then in the summer we'll have to re-evaluate and see what's best. But like I always say when I come here, it's a pleasure to be here and I'm very happy to represent my country and I'm really looking forward to the games that we have."
There have been some suggestions that Varane may be fit enough to return before the end of the season. Ten Hag would then be faced with a choice, given Lindelof has already warned he is open to leave the Red Devils.
With the centre-back having answered his manager's demand to prove he can contribute to United's success, it would be harsh to drop him now. And if Ten Hag does have future plans for the 28-year-old, he may have to resist the urge to throw Varane straight back into action.
There are now just nine games left of the campaign, including the FA Cup final, with Ten Hag having that period to decide if he believes Lindelof can continue to match his demands, otherwise the centre-back may push for a summer exit.
