Man Utd submit €50m bid for Ten Hag’s dream midfield signing, with transfer reluctantly greenlit

Manchester United have submitted a €50m bid for a midfielder Erik ten Hag would love to sign, though while the bid has been rejected, a sale to the Red Devils has been greenlit if they improve their offer, according to a report.

Man Utd are on the cusp of wrapping up the signings of Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs De Ligt. The Bayern Munich pair travelled to Manchester on Monday morning ahead of undertaking medicals.

Assuming there are no unforeseen late hiccups, the duo will become major signings three and four for Erik ten Hag. Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro arrived earlier this summer.

Yoro (£52m), Zirkzee (£36.5m), Mazraoui (£17.1m) and De Ligt (£42.7m) have cost a combined £148.3m to sign.

Of course, that sum is inclusive of future add-ons and in the case of De Ligt, the guaranteed portion of his deal will be paid in instalments over a three-year period.

Nonetheless, Man Utd have shown they are more than willing to splash the cash and at least one more major signing is expected.

A new central midfielder to partner Kobbie Mainoo is wanted. To make room, one or multiple of Casemiro, Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen will be sold.

Man Utd had initially fixed their gaze on PSG’s Manuel Ugarte. Personal terms on a five-year deal with a club option for a sixth season were quickly ironed out.

However, the Red Devils baulked at PSG’s lofty €60m valuation. That is the fee PSG paid to sign Ugarte from Sporting CP one year ago and in their determination to break even, they forced Man Utd to shelve the move and look elsewhere.

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Man Utd bid for Frenkie de Jong – report

Manchester World claimed one week ago that Man Utd would make a renewed effort to sign the player Ten Hag installed as his No 1 transfer target upon taking charge two years ago – Frenkie de Jong.

A De Jong deal ultimately eluded Man Utd, with Casemiro brought to the club from Real Madrid instead.

However, fast forward to the present day and the Spanish press claims Man Utd are back in for the Dutch maestro who was previously managed by Ten Hag at Ajax.

It’s claimed Ratcliffe ‘wants to satisfy’ Ten Hag’s long-standing urge to reunite with De Jong and a major barrier that prevented the move two years ago is no longer in place.

The report claims Barcelona’s manager at the time – club legend Xavi – was a major factor in preventing the sale.

But with Xavi no longer in situ, the landscape has changed and both Barcelona and new boss Hansi Flick will reluctantly sell De Jong to help finance their own signings.

Man Utd are said to have lodged a bid worth €50m/£42.7m. Barcelona have reportedly rejected the bid and hope Man Utd will return with a much improved offer of €70m plus €15m in add-ons.

It would take a giant leap for Man Utd to go from a deal totalling €50m to one totalling €85m.

Nonetheless, if the report is accurate and if Ratcliffe is truly determined to secure Ten Hag’s dream midfield buy, he now knows the figure that is required.

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