Man Utd worst-case summer as takeover falls through and Ten Hag makes £45m error

Man Utd name price for Sancho and 12 others ahead of summer clearout

Manchester United have work to do over the summer to ensure Erik ten Hag is in the best possible position to make progress in his second season as manager. However, plenty hangs in the balance and some outcomes wouldn’t go down well with fans.

Express Sport explores three decisions that would contribute to a worst-case scenario for United’s summer.

New De Gea contract

David de Gea will no longer be under contract at United when the clock strikes midnight on June 30. That’s if he hasn’t put pen to paper on an extension before then, anyway.

And he shouldn’t. The Spanish goalkeeper has been a great servant across his 12 years as No 1, but the times are changing. He has become more of a problem than a saviour between the sticks.

Ten Hag needs a goalkeeper who suits his style, similar to how Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola recruited Alisson and Ederson early in their reigns at Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively.

Ignoring a reunion with Inter Milan’s Andre Onana, reportedly of interest at Old Trafford and available for around £45million, to save his budget could prove fatal to his hopes of progress in 2023/24.

READ MORE Liverpool and Mo Salah ‘are on the same page’ over accepting Saudi Arabia offer[TRANSFERS]

Striker search extended

United haven’t signed a marquee striker to lead the line in the long term since splashing £75m to recruit Romelu Lukaku in 2017.

Since then, managers have been getting by with ageing short-term fixes like Odion Ighalo, Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wout Weghorst.

It’s time to buck that trend and recruit a new striker with plenty of prime years left in the tank. Reports suggesting United are focusing on two midfielders are a concern.

Even if Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen are off the table due to hefty pricey tags, Goncalo Ramos and Rasmus Hojlund are right there. United must act.

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Nightmare Glazers decision

United could recruit Kylian Mbappe and, heck, steal Erling Haaland from under City’s noses to form the most devastating strike partnership in football history…

It wouldn’t matter to millions of supporters if the Glazers remained in control.

That’s the priority. That’s where the interest is. The ultimate worst-case scenario is Joel and Avram Glazer opting for minority investment and remaining as United’s owners.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe await a verdict, and a full or majority sale is considered the most likely outcome.

But Armageddon would arise in the streets of Manchester if, after eight months of hope, the takeover dream vanishes.

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