Man Utd owners ‘eager’ to do business – Ten Hag

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says the club’s new leadership team is “eager” to do transfer business.

Ten Hag was speaking after United lost 3-0 to Liverpool in the final game of their three-match tour of the United States.

Central defender Harry Maguire missed the game as a precaution against injury and Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans had to go off at half-time because he was ill.

With £52m new signing Leny Yoro out for three months with a foot injury and striker Rasmus Hojlund sidelined until the middle of September with a hamstring issue, there will be more focus on United’s transfer business before the opening Premier League game of the season against Fulham at Old Trafford on 16 August.

United have been trying to broker a deal with Bayern Munich for Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt and are also looking to sign Morocco full-back Noussair Mazraoui, a move that could pave the way for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to join West Ham.

Ten Hag said he knows football director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox and new chief executive Omar Berrada are working hard with new co-owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, to get deals done.

“It is always difficult to say,” said Ten Hag, when asked if he expected to make changes to his squad in the next fortnight. “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 definitely out and both Bruno Fernandes and new signing Joshua Zirkzee not due to start training with the main group until next week following their respective European Championship campaigns, Ten Hag trialled Jadon Sancho in the centre forward slot in United’s last game before the Community Shield showdown with Manchester City.

Ten Hag admitted using Sancho in that role at Wembley is more appealing than playing Marcus Rashford there.

“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.”