Man Utd takeover: Ten Hag faces ‘summer of chaos’ as doubts emerge over £100m transfer

A transfer move for Tottenham striker Harry Kane could be scuppered if the Man Utd owners don’t accelerate their sale of the club, according to reports.

The Old Trafford giants announced in November that the board was exploring strategic alternatives to enhance the club’s growth, with a full sale one option being considered.

April 28 was the third, and what is expected to be final, deadline for parties to make offers to buy the club, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitting bids.

Now the the Glazer family must decide how they want to proceed – a process that threatens to damage the progress made during Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge.

The Sun reported yesterday that Ratcliffe had now been given preferred bidder status by the Glazer family and that a deal was expected in the coming days.

But today’s report in the newspaper warns of a ‘summer of chaos’ at Man Utd with Ratcliffe in a ‘race against time to take charge before transfer window opens’.

It is understood that any further delay ‘could scupper a £100million move for Tottenham star Harry Kane — the striker the club so desperately needs’.

Man Utd have yet to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who left at the end of November following a controversial interview with Piers Morgan, with Wout Weghorst being brought in as a stop-gap until the end of the season.

Previous reports have claimed that Ten Hag is ‘sold’ on a pursuit of Kane as he looks to take the goalscoring burden away from Marcus Rashford,

Despite claims Ineos founder Ratcliffe is now the preferred bidder, The Sun warn that ‘until the decision is confirmed and relayed to all parties by the Glazer’s chosen deal-makers, the US-based Raine Group, lawyers cannot proceed with the next stage.’

The newspaper adds: ‘Full due diligence could take a month or more, meaning Ineos would not be able to start making financial decisions until well into June.
And that will impact on United boss Erik ten Hag and his efforts to reshape the squad for next term.’

When asked earlier this month if he’d been told he has funds irrespective of how the takeover pans out, Ten Hag replied: “No, I don’t have. I don’t have influence on that, I don’t have… also I don’t know.

“The only thing what I know is that Man United is one of the biggest clubs and I think it’s among maybe (the) two biggest clubs in the world from a fanbase perspective.

“So, I think this club has to compete for the highest in the world, so Champions League, Premier League.

“But in football you need funds to construct squads because in the end of the day the level from your players makes if you are successful or not.”

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