After Erik ten Hag’s recent dismissal by Manchester United, reports suggest he was frustrated by the club’s failure to sign four of his preferred transfer targets during his time as manager. The Dutchman was sacked this week following a poor run of results, with United currently sitting 14th in the Premier League. Ten Hag’s tenure, which began in April 2022, had a few high points—most notably FA Cup and League Cup victories—but was largely disappointing.
Over £600 million was spent on signings for Ten Hag, with 21 new players brought in, including high-profile former Ajax players like Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Andre Onana, Noussair Mazraoui, and Antony. Though his Ajax connections influenced these acquisitions, Ten Hag didn’t always secure his desired targets.
According to ESPN, Ten Hag had expressed “frustration” with the club’s inability to sign four specific players: Frenkie de Jong, Alexis Mac Allister, Federico Valverde, and Harry Kane. While De Jong remained at Barcelona and Valverde at Real Madrid, both Mac Allister and Kane were available on the market and ultimately joined Liverpool and Bayern Munich, respectively.
Get Instantly Update By: Joining Our Whatapps and Telegram Channel
Reports indicate that Manchester United’s recruitment team informed INEOS that Ten Hag’s requests were often “unrealistic” due to financial constraints or the players’ reluctance to join the club.
Ruben Amorim, Sporting Lisbon’s manager, is expected to succeed Ten Hag at Old Trafford. Known for a different style of play, Amorim is already being linked to new players who could better suit his approach, and it remains to be seen if INEOS will support his transfer ambitions.