Erik ten Hag gave a brilliant response when one Manchester United fan asked if the club would be signing in-demand England star Jude Bellingham and PSG striker Kylian Mbappe.
The Red Devils are in the market for a new attacker this month following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo while they are one of a host of European giants interested in signing Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham.
Unfortunately, after spending big in the summer, Ten Hag is likely to be restricted to loan deals this month to solve his squad issues – with Wout Weghorst the latest man linked with a move to Old Trafford.
That did not stop one cheeky young United fan from asking about Bellingham and Mbappe, however, with the Dutch coach mobbed by supporters as he left Carrington recently.
Ten Hag was signing autographs in his car when he was asked: ‘Erik, do you think you’re going to sign Jude Bellingham or Mbappe?’
To which the United manager replied: ‘I want to but…’
When another supporter suggested the club try and sign both players, Ten Hag smiled and replied: ‘Do you have some pennies for me?’
United are unlikely to grab any headlines with their transfer business this month, with football director John Murtough telling a fan forum last month that the club will not be spending big – though they remain keen to secure a new striker.
‘As always, the main focus remains on the summer window, and we’re already well underway with our planning for next summer,’ he said in December.
‘January is a difficult time to find players that teams are willing to let go. It’s no secret that we’re looking for a new centre forward. We’ll see what’s possible in January but we only want to bring in players who are good enough, and who will make the squad stronger.
We’re not going to sign players for the sake of making signings. You also need to remember that we invested over £200 million in the squad last summer and, as a club, we need to remain financially disciplined and compliant with FFP rules.
‘So, while we will be exploring options, I don’t expect it to be a busy January window on the men’s side.’
United are ready to battle the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid to sign Bellingham this coming summer, with Dortmund set to cash in for a British record transfer fee.
source: https://metro.co.uk/
