Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag revealed the club’s new leadership team is keen on making moves in the transfer market. This statement came after United’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool in the final match of their US tour.
Central defender Harry Maguire was absent from the game as a precaution against injury, while Jonny Evans had to be substituted at half-time due to illness. With new £52m signing Leny Yoro sidelined for three months with a foot injury and striker Rasmus Hojlund out until mid-September with a hamstring problem, United’s transfer activities will be under close scrutiny as they prepare for their Premier League opener against Fulham at Old Trafford on 16 August.
Manchester United is actively pursuing Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich and is also interested in Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui. The potential acquisition of Mazraoui could facilitate Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s move to West Ham.
Ten Hag expressed confidence in the efforts of football director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox, and new chief executive Omar Berrada. He also acknowledged the involvement of the new co-owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, in securing transfer deals. “It is always difficult to say,” Ten Hag remarked regarding the possibility of squad changes in the coming weeks. “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 yet training with the main group after their European Championship commitments, Ten Hag tested Jadon Sancho in the center forward position in United’s last match before the Community Shield against Manchester City.
Ten Hag hinted that using Sancho as a forward at Wembley might be more favorable than deploying Marcus Rashford in that role. “If Jadon wasn’t an option we wouldn’t have played him there,” said Ten Hag. “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.”
With these tactical considerations and injury challenges, Manchester United’s transfer strategy in the coming days will be crucial in shaping their start to the new season.
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