Man Utd owners are ‘keen’ to engage in business – Ten Hag
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has stated that the club’s new leadership team is “enthusiastic” about conducting transfer business.
After Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in the final game of their U.S. tour, manager Erik ten Hag addressed the club’s current state, particularly focusing on the transfer market. Notably, central defender Harry Maguire missed the match as a precautionary measure to avoid injury, and Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans was forced to leave at halftime due to illness.
The club is facing significant challenges with injuries, including £52 million signing Leny Yoro, who will be out for three months due to a foot injury, and striker Rasmus Hojlund, who is sidelined until mid-September with a hamstring issue. These setbacks have intensified the spotlight on United’s transfer activities as they prepare for their Premier League opener against Fulham at Old Trafford on 16 August.
Manchester United is actively pursuing several key signings. They are negotiating with Bayern Munich for Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt and are also targeting Morocco full-back Noussair Mazraoui, which could potentially facilitate Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s transfer to West Ham. Ten Hag emphasized that football director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox, and new chief executive Omar Berrada, along with the club’s new co-owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, are diligently working to finalize these deals.
Ten Hag expressed cautious optimism regarding upcoming transfers, stating, “It is always difficult to say,” when asked about potential squad changes within the next two weeks. He added, “We hope. We are always looking and this new leadership team is really eager to do business and to make deals. They are on it. But we have to wait if the timing is there and if the opportunities are there.”
With Hojlund unavailable and both Bruno Fernandes and new signing Joshua Zirkzee not expected to rejoin the main group until the following week due to their commitments in the European Championship, Ten Hag experimented with Jadon Sancho as a central forward in the recent match. This trial was conducted in preparation for the upcoming Community Shield clash against Manchester City.
Ten Hag acknowledged that playing Sancho in the forward role at Wembley is a more attractive option than deploying Marcus Rashford in that position. He explained, “If Jadon wasn’t an option we wouldn’t have played him there. Marcus has done it before and it is definitely an option, but I think he is more productive from the left, when he is coming inside.”
Overall, Ten Hag’s comments highlighted the club’s proactive approach to the transfer market amid their injury challenges, demonstrating the new leadership’s eagerness to strengthen the squad and adapt to the evolving circumstances as they head into the new season.