Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag not changing transfer plans for trio

Man Utd have team huddle before training ahead of Real Betis clash

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Erik ten Hag has insisted that Manchester United’s recent seven-goal drubbing at the hands of Liverpool will not stop them from pursuing the likes of Jude Bellingham, Frenkie de Jong and Harry Kane in the upcoming summer transfer window. The Red Devils are widely expected to spend heavily on player recruitment until now and the end of the season as they look to prepare their ranks for a renewed Premier League title challenge at the next time of asking.

United have been linked with several big-money signings over the last few months, although last weekend’s historic defeat at Anfield would have raised questions over whether their top targets could snub them due to the embarrassing nature of the result sending huge shockwaves around the world of football. However, it seems as though Ten Hag is confident that this will not be the case if United decide to target Bellingham, De Jong and Kane when the bidding opens later this year.

“No, it can’t change after one game,” said the Dutchman when asked if his transfer plans will be affected by the club’s heavy loss against Liverpool. “There is a continuing process and it’s already going on in the background. At the moment the main focus is game to game. The next game is always the most important and that’s Southampton on Sunday.”

Ten Hag is believed to be prioritising the addition of a new first-choice striker in advance of next season, with Wout Weghorst’s loan spell at Old Trafford not expected to be made permanent when the current campaign draws to a close. Tottenham marksman Kane has reportedly emerged as United’s most pressing target, while Napoli forward Victor Osimhen is also believed to be keenly admired by the Red Devils after scoring 21 goals in all competitions for the Italian giants so far this season.

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Another central midfielder is also thought to be high on the agenda at United, with a fresh move for Barcelona maestro De Jong not yet out of the question in spite of his apparent reluctance to reunite with former Ajax boss Ten Hag in Manchester. He was targeted by the Red Devils for several weeks last summer but to no avail after he eventually decided to remain at the Nou Camp in order to fight for his place in Xavi’s squad.

Bellingham is believed to be another target for United after establishing himself as one of Europe’s finest young midfielders over the last few years, although the England ace is reportedly also being tracked by the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City. His capture would undoubtedly cost any of the aforementioned clubs a significant amount of money, with Borussia Dortmund unlikely to entertain the idea of selling their prized asset unless they are able to recoup a nine-figure transfer fee as the bare minimum.

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Meanwhile, it seems as though United’s summer recruitment strategy will depend on the plans of any potential new owners if their ongoing takeover process is completed as expected before the current campaign draws to a close. Ten Hag already knows that cash is king in the Premier League and recently sent a message to the parties involved by highlighting the importance of spending power after the Glazers held back from splashing out on reinforcements during the January transfer window.

“For a long time I think the Premier League was always a two-horse race, but now I think it’s a six, seven, eight-horse race,” he said last month. “It’s about strategy but also, of course, it’s about finance. I am here to manage the team, to get the best out of them, and of course I have a job in bringing the right players in.”

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