Aaron Wan-Bissaka drops bombshell admission about his Man United spell

Former Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka has made a surprise confession about his time at the club, revealing it was the lowest he had ever felt in his life.

Wan-Bissaka permanently left United in August 2024, having joined the club five years earlier from Crystal Palace in a £50m transfer.

He quickly became a regular in the team, earning a reputation for being a no-nonsense defender whose ability to lock down wingers with his slide tackles was unmatched in the Premier League. He was a key player under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer , but his role diminished under Erik ten Hag, who demonstrated a clear preference for Diogo Dalot.

Wan-Bissaka made 190 appearances for United, scoring two goals in that period. Both his strikes, against Newcastle United and Southampton, came in the 2020/21 season.

The 28-year-old helped the Red Devils win the Carabao Cup and FA Cup . He was particularly superb in the FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley, neutralising the threat of Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden. That marked his last game for United before he joined West Ham.

The player spoke to the Daily Mail and opened up on the difficulties he faced at Old Trafford, especially while Ten Hag was in charge.

Wan-Bissaka told the newspaper, “When I moved to United, I really missed home, my family and friends especially. After training, I used to take the train back to London almost every day. It’s only about two hours, but it’s still a big commitment, and eventually it became exhausting, so I knew I had to stop.”

“It was something I wasn’t used to at all. I’d always been comfortable at home in London, surrounded by familiar people and places, so for everything to change overnight was difficult to adapt to.”

“Most days I’d just be at home alone, playing PlayStation until it was time to sleep. I struggled. It was probably the lowest I’d felt.”

He continued, “My relationship with Ole was good from the start. He’s a great person and we got along really well, and I think the rest of the players felt the same about him. He’s the kind of manager who backs you straight away. Once he gives you a job to do, it’s up to you to trust yourself and go out and deliver it.”

On playing under Ralf Rangnick and Ten Hag, Wan-Bissaka remarked, “Obviously, it’s football, every manager has their preferences. They might like you or they might not, and that’s just part of the game. When he (Rangnick) came in, it wasn’t the best period for me and there was a lot of criticism around…”

“It was difficult when Erik ten Hag arrived – as soon as he did, he told me I wasn’t in his plans. But when I tried to leave, he said he didn’t want me to go. I couldn’t understand it. That was tough mentally, because it left me wondering what I was supposed to do next.”

“I just kept my head down and told myself to keep training, keep improving, and play my game. Staying motivated was hard though, especially when you’re training without the clear goal of playing. But the people around me guided me in the right way and encouraged me to keep going. Eventually things turned around and started to improve. You could say I changed or developed tactically under him, because that was something he wanted.”

Besides Solskjaer, Wan-Bissaka also appreciates his time with Michael Carrick, currently serving as United’s caretaker boss.

In Wan-Bissaka’s opinion, Carrick should be handed the job on a permanent basis.

“He’s someone you can trust. He will also trust you back if you buy into him and what he’s looking to do. If you trust him, he will trust you.”

“He was quite simple in what he wanted from you. The boys were happy with him and the games he had when he was the manager. With him back at the club now, they are in a good place as a team. I think he should be given the full-time role. I think he deserves it.”

The DR Congo international emphasised that he is grateful for his tenure at United, crediting the club for shaping the person he is today.

Having swapped Manchester for London, Wan-Bissaka has explained that the lighter scrutiny at West Ham has been key to him rediscovering his enjoyment of the game.

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