Erik ten Hag wants three specific players to join Man Utd this summer, and an expensive pair of flops have been earmarked for sales to help make the dream a reality, per a report.
United fans could be forgiven for glancing over at Arsenal’s summer spending with a hint of jealousy. The Gunners roared back as a Premier League force last season and are doubling down on the progress they made.
Indeed, major moves for Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz are either already completed or partially agreed. Once Rice signs, work will begin on a second midfield addition.
At Old Trafford, meanwhile, United finally found a breakthrough with Mason Mount when agreeing to pay £60m (£55m plus £5m in add-ons) to Chelsea.
According to ESPN, Mount forms one part of a game-changing triple coup Ten Hag is desperate to oversee this summer.
The other superstars he wants to join Mount at Old Trafford are Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana and Tottenham talisman Harry Kane.
Gianluca Di Marzio reported United’s first official bid for Onana will be lodged tonight. However, according to ESPN, United may struggle to finance the move.
Their senior writer, Mark Ogden, claimed that a bid ‘even at £40m’ would ‘drain resources’ and leave United perilously short when it comes to signing a striker.
Inter are understood to want ‘at least €50m/€55m” for Onana, according to Fabrizio Romano. That equates to roughly £43m-£47m at current exchange rate.
Even more troubling for Ten Hag is the fact that between Onana, Mount and Kane, it’s the latter who’ll be by far the most expensive to sign.
Kane is understood to have agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich, though it had previously been speculated he’d prefer to remain in England. Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League record of 260 goals is just 47 away from Kane at present.
United’s limited financial resources are why they offered David de Gea a new contract on vastly reduced terms. Per Ogden, it’s also why United pulled the plug on De Gea’s extension and then proposed a revised offer on even lower terms.
De Gea now looks unlikely to stay and will officially become a free agent at midnight tonight. Onana may well be his replacement, though to also fund signing the calibre of striker United want, player sales are a must.
Maguire and Sancho necessary sacrifices
To that end, Ogden noted England internationals Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho are confirmed to be up for sale. The reporter stated ‘United will listen to offers for both players this summer’.
Maguire was an £80m signing from Leicester back in 2019, while Sancho cost £73m when plucked from Borussia Dortmund two years ago.
Neither have lived up to expectations at Old Trafford and given their colossal salaries, United are fully aware they’ll make huge losses on both players if buyers are found.
Nevertheless, needs must in Manchester right now and if Ten Hag is to sign the three players he wants, saleable assets must go – even if they’re high profile stars such as Maguire and Sancho.
