Man Utd line up third massive raid on Ajax as Ten Hag brutally shows fan favourite the door
Mohammed Kudus and Jurrien Timber of Arsenal
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will reportedly allow one of the club’s most costly signings to leave this summer – with plans seemingly afoot to replace them with another top talent from his previous club Ajax.
The Red Devils have made great strides since the Dutchman strode into Carrington last summer. Cutting a ruthless swathe through their squad, several big names were allowed to leave amid a mass overhaul.
To that extent, they bid farewell to the likes of Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata. Last season’s top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo was to follow in the autumn, though his exit was somewhat self-inflicted after his very public criticism of the club.
Ten Hag, though, has shown he is a man who knows his own mind. And by convincing the board to push through sizeable raids for Lisandro Martinez and Antony, United have reaped the rewards.
Indeed, they already have the Carabao Cup in the bag – and more trophies could follow in the FA Cup and Europa League. They will need to go to Sevilla though and win, however, to reach the semi-finals after Thursday’s 2-2 draw in the first leg.
However, with over £200m of new talent coming in last summer, United have largely enjoyed a season of great progress under Ten Hag’s leadership.
Now phase two of that rebuilding programme is about to get underway – and it seems the Dutchman is once again preparing to make more tough choices.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag has now made it clear that Anthony Martial will depart this summer.
The Frenchman was a signing from Monaco back in September 2015, with the fee ultimately topping £58m.
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Martial allowed to leave; Man Utd want Kudus as replacement
He has gone on to score 86 goals for the club in 287 appearances. However, since the 23 netted in 2019/20, it has been all downhill for Martial since.
And while he has scored seven times in 18 appearances this season, his struggles to stay fit has been a source of huge frustration.
Now the MEN claim a parting of ways is on the cards this summer. His deal is due to expire in 2024, while United hold the option to extend his stay by an additional year. However, they are reportedly willing to let him leave this summer and may even consider a free transfer to facilitate such a move.
Still hugely popular among the United fans, his exit will certainly disappoint plenty.
However, the Manchester Evening News claims Ten Hag has already decided on his would-be replacement. And it seems another big-money raid on Ajax is on the cards – this time for Mohammed Kudus.
The 22-year-old Ghanaian can operate anywhere across the attack and also play in behind the striker. He is enjoying an excellent season – with 18 goals and five assists to his name from 38 appearances.
As a result, Kudus will not come cheap with reports suggesting Ajax will demand a fee in the region of £60m.
However, the MEN claims Ten Hag knows what the player is capable of and is keen on a reunion this summer.
And it seems his arrival will not halt their plans to also bring in a new No 9 this summer too. To that end, Victor Osimhen, Harry Kane and Goncalo Ramos all remain potential options.
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