Erik ten Hag warns Manchester United about spending £115m on two key transfer targets
Erik ten Hag has instructed Manchester United to spend £115 million this summer on two key recruitment targets.
Ten Hag’s tenure as United manager began last week, and the Dutchman has immediately compiled a list of objectives to help the team get back on track.
Manchester United have not won a trophy since 2017 and finished sixth in the Premier League last season, accumulating their fewest points ever.
Ten Hag wants at least six new acquisitions at Old Trafford and has worked with football director John Murtough, technical director Darren Fletcher, and recruiting expert Ralf Rangnick to develop a list of targets.
Ten Hag has picked Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and Benfica forward Darwin Nunez as two of his priority targets and wants United to spend more than £100 million to bring them both to Manchester, according to the Daily Mirror.
Timber excelled under Ten Hag at Ajax, and the Eredivisie champions are expected to seek £35 million for his services.
Nunez, meanwhile, will cost roughly £80 million after scoring 34 goals in 41 appearances for Benfica last season.
Ten Hag would also like to sign Frenkie de Jong, but the ex-Ajax midfielder appears to be staying at Barcelona.
The transfer budget for Manchester United this summer will be determined by how many marginal players Ten Hag can offload, with Dean Henderson, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, and Paul Pogba all linked with moves.
Edinson Cavani and Nemanja Matic have already departed the club, with the former thanking United fans for their support during his two-year stay.
‘I have nothing but words of thanks for the Manchester United fans and supporters,’ Cavani remarked this week.
‘To be honest, they have showed me a lot of respect from the minute I came. I believe they have tremendously recognized all of the hard effort I’ve always tried to put in in the greatest way possible for our team.
‘I am truly appreciative, and I will leave here with a joyful remembrance of the affection they showed me and have always shown.’
