Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Ten Hag tells Man Utd pair they have no future as opening €100m offer to sign striker rated as ‘new Luis Suarez’ is lodged

Erik ten Hag, new Man Utd manager, told to target West Ham forward. Photo shows Ten Hag speaks to the media during his spell as Ajax boss

Erik ten Hag is under pressure at Manchester United

Manchester United are reportedly clearing the decks for a new striker this summer after launching what is described as an opening €100m offer for a man billed in Spain as the ‘new Luis Suarez’.

The Reds Devils are desperate to get their hands on a new No 9 this summer to spearhead a title challenge next season. Indeed, the club has made great strides under Erik ten Hag’s control and following a £216m outlay last summer.

But that spending will likely be dwarved this coming window with the club ready to furnish the boss with the biggest single summer of spending in the club’s history.

To that end, the United manager wants to bring in three top level stars to take the club to the next level.

In addition to a new striker, Ten Hag also has on a new defender and a midfield partner for Casemiro.

And David De Gea’s refusal to sign the new contract on offer to him means a new goalkeeper may well be sought as well. To that end, a report on Saturday has named two new goalkeepers coming under their radar this summer.

However, the most intrigue is being placed around which striker United will bring in.

Harry Kane is seemingly their No 1 target, while Victor Osimhen is also seemingly on their radar. Deals for either, however, will be notoriously tough to pull off.

As a result, Ten Hag goes have other options in mind. And now it seems a player also on their radar and enjoying an excellent season is the subject of a mammoth opening bid.

READ MORE ~ Harry Kane: Man Utd told move has zero chances with Man City star cited as reason behind Levy refusal to sell Tottenham talisman

Man Utd go big with opening bid for Goncalo Ramos

Now under the headline ‘the new Suarez’, Spanish daily AS claims Ten Hag has permission from United chiefs to make an opening offer for Goncalo Ramos.

The Benfica striker is enjoying an excellent campaign, scoring 24 goals and weighing in with three assists in 36 matches so far.

Quite what he has done to be compared to Luis Suarez, though, remains to be seen given the Uruguayan’s penchant for sinking his teeth into opponents! Presumably though AS are citing the Portuguese’s instincts in and around goal which they see as similar to the controversial former Liverpool and Barcelona striker.

And according to the article, the United manager is readying an opening €100m (£88m) offer to Benfica to tempt them to sell.

The 21-year-old though has an exit clause in his deal set at €120m (£105.6m). As such, it is thought they may try and get as close to that fee as possible before accepting their opening gambit.

Nonetheless, there appears a confidence within the United camp that Benfica will, at some point, wilt. Unlike their other two targets in Kane and Osimhen, Ramos does have an exit clause in his deal.

And the Portuguese side have shown in the recent past with Darwin Nunez and Enzo Fernandez that they are open to selling their prized assets.

Having spent a large portion of last season, fruitlessy chasing Frenkie de Jong, Ten Hag is wary of seeing his side embroiled in a repeat. As such, the transfer of Ramos looks far easier to pull off than either of Kane or Osimhen.

Ten Haga tells Man Utd attacking duo they are free to leave

Most of the goalscoring burden at Manchester United this season has fallen on the shoulders of Marcus Rashford. Thankfully for Ten Hag, he is enjoying a phenomenal season, having scored 27 times in all competitions.

The hope is that Ramos can come in and take some off that burden away from him.

The club did try and address their lack of goals across the forward line in January by bringing in Wout Weghorst on a temporary basis. However, AS claims his loan stint from Burnley will not be extended come the summer and he will return to Turf Moor.

The towering Dutchman, while always giving his everything, has scored just twice in 18 appearances for United.

But Ten Hag will not move to extend that, with the plan reportedly set to be communicated to the striker once the season is over.

Joining Weghorst out the exit door will be Anthony Martial.

The Frenchman joined the club back in summer 2015 with the fee ultimately topping £58m.

Now in his eighth season at Old Trafford, his deal is due to expire this summer, making him eligible for a free transfer. United, though, do have the option to extend that, meaning they will likely do so in order to protect his value.

As a result, reports claim reckons Ten Hag has made it clear that the 27-year-old will be put up for sale this summer.

Martial has scored 85 goals in 283 appearances for United. And despite his career stalling in the past couple of seasons, he is unlikely to be short of offers.

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