Ten Hag transfer budget revealed as Man Utd line up Chelsea duo as alternatives to expensive trio
Man Utd have set Erik ten Hag’s transfer budget for the summer window with two Chelsea players on their radar as cheap alternatives, according to reports.
The Red Devils fans will be hoping either Sheikh Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe can push through a takeover of the club before the transfer window opens in early June.
Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim made another bid to buy the club yesterday but Ratcliffe is understood to be the Glazers preferred bidder with a sale now understood to be at an ‘advanced stage’.
Whether the takeover goes through or not will surely impact on Ten Hag’s budget with the Man Utd boss’ main priority bringing in a new centre-forward to finally replace the departed Cristiano Ronaldo.
And ESPN claim that he has now been told by Man Utd that he will be ‘working with a budget of between £100 million to £150m which would be supplemented with funds raised by departures’.
The report adds: ‘There’s a feeling within the recruitment department that the squad needs to be “tweaked” with two or three new arrivals in key positions although there’s an acceptance that Ten Hag will want more.’
Tottenham striker Harry Kane is considered their top target for a new centre-forward, while Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is also high up the list with ESPN naming Randal Kolo Muani, Dusan Vlahovic, Tammy Abraham and Brian Brobbey as other candidates.
Depending on their outlay on a new striker, Man Utd could have to look at ‘cheaper alternatives’ to top targets Frenkie de Jong, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham.
Their budget options are Chelsea pair Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic with both players potentially cheaper this summer with only one year left on their contracts.
To fund moves for midfielders, potentially a defender and a goalkeeper, Man Utd are understood to be ‘open to offers for as many as 10 first-team squad players’.
Former Man Utd striker Dimitar Berbatov thinks West Ham’s Rice “could be the answer” in defensive midfield for the Red Devils next season.
Berbatov told Betfred: “Declan Rice is one of the best footballers in his position. He’s a leader for West Ham United and the way he can guard a defence and the way he reads the game, indicates to me that Declan could fit in at Manchester United.
“Manchester United don’t want to have that problem of having too many players in the same positions, where they will have to rotate constantly. Looking to the future, I believe Declan Rice could be the answer for Manchester United in that defensive midfield position. It all depends on what Erik ten Hag wants in that position because Casemiro is doing wonders, as we all know, but at the same time, he’s not getting any younger.
“You need to be careful with who you’re buying and what you’re promising them. Are they going to play? In the case of Declan Rice, if you buy him, then he needs to play. Manchester United have to plan exactly how they’re going to spend their money this summer.”
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