Ten Hag may be forced to keep star at Manchester United

The Manchester United sale process that started before the 2022 World Cup continues to drag on, with the Glazer family yet to make a decision on their preferred bidder public.

The Red Devils’ recruitment team are working on bringing Erik ten Hag’s targets to Old Trafford, having already made a bid for Mason Mount. John Murtough and company will return with an improved bid for the Chelsea midfielder next week.

But beyond their pursuit of Mount, United are in a dilemma over several transfer decisions. The situation isn’t helped by the uncertainty over the ownership saga.

As per the Daily Mail, United have a current transfer budget of £120m. However, this could increase by £50m if Sheikh Jassim wins the race ahead of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and fulfills his promise of clearing the club’s debt.

According to the Express, without that extra £50m, United are unlikely to sign a top-class striker and a suitable replacement for David de Gea in the same window.

Ten Hag wants a new goalkeeper to improve his side’s build-up. United have been linked with the likes of Andre Onana and Diogo Costa, but they will have to spend in the region of £50m to bring any of the two.

With United also looking to sign a striker and a midfielder, their current budget may not be enough to get a quality shot-stopper, forcing Ten Hag to keep De Gea. The Spaniard’s contract at United runs out on June 30.

The strikers market is also tricky for United this summer. Tottenham Hotspur are not going to negotiate with a rival English club for Harry Kane, and the Old Trafford outfit have been asked to cough up more than £80m for Victor Osimhen and Rasmus Hojlund.