Dutch Journalist Marcel van der Kraan has said that new Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag will be ‘disappointed so far’ due to the club’s lack of signings.
United, who are yet to make a signing in this transfer window, have been linked with many targets.
Two of which are Ajax winger Antony and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong, who played under Ten Hag during his spell as manager in Amsterdam.
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With the start of the Premier League season just five weeks away, and pre-season commencing, Van der Kraan has commented on United's situation.
Without a signing through the door as of yet, the club will need some business to succeed in the coming weeks.
Speaking on how Ten Hag will feel at the moment, Van der Kraan said: “Well, I think deep down he will be disappointed so far.
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"When you take a job on that you’re entoliid for months with, one of the crucial issues [at Manchester United] was ‘can I have a say in the transfer activities of the club? I do need to put my foot down on certain things’ and then we’re on the first day of training and who’s the new face?
"No one, nobody, he's lost six players.
“I know they are working behind the scenes; he’s even consulting agents, he’s consulting [the] people of Manchester United [saying] ‘what can we do? what can we achieve in the next couple of days?’ because he wants players before he goes on his first big international tour.
"It’s something he’s never done before, it’s a pre-season he’s never experienced, it’s probably the most horrible pre-season for him because he’s a man who wants to lay down his football style, the way Ajax used to play, the way Holland played, it’s a very attacking style and it needs a lot of time to change that.”
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Van der Kraan also expressed concern over United’s lack of a marquee signing so far.
It’s a sensitive subject for a lot of Manchester United fans, with previous marquee signings, such as Angel Di Maria, Paul Pogba and Harry Maguire failing to live up to their hefty transfer fees.
Van der Kraan continued: “There are certain targets possible, but they’re the smaller targets. [For example] Feyenoord and Holland have a great left back, a very talented player [called] Tyrell Malacia.
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"Louis Van Gaal has brought him into his squad before the World Cup, but a left back is not a priority, yes, he needs cover for Luke Shaw and, Malacia as a player can also play as a left winger, which he does for Holland at times.
“But the priority is the key players, the marquee signing who will decorate the start of his era at Man United, and you don’t do that with a left back for 10 or 15 million pounds, you do that with Frenkie De Jong, that’s the big gun he needs to hold up at Old Trafford.
“That’s the big boy who can change his playing style. It still hasn’t happened, I know they’re working on it, the latest I’ve heard, last night, is that they are getting closer, they are thinking that its possible, but it could be a very late arrival on the [pre-season] tour.”
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The summer window is still open until the start of September, but United will need additions soon. Their first pre-season game kicks off against Liverpool on 12 July.
Frenkie de Jong looks like he is closer to an Old Trafford move, and the deal could be completed before the end of the week.
Topics: Manchester United, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Transfers, Erik Ten Hag, Frenkie De Jong, Barcelona, Football, Premier League
Callum Owen