Erik ten Hag remains hopeful of Harry Kane despite Bayern bids

Jacque Talbot

Updated: 16 Jul 2023 18:01 BST
4 min read

Harry Kane and the Manchester United badge on a red abstract background — © ProShots

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag wants a ‘powerhouse’ No.9 as well as the addition of Rasmus Hojlund, who he sees as a versatile attacker.

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We are told that the deal with Harry Kane is not dead and there is a feeling that if the circumstances are right, Man Utd will make a move for the striker next month.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy would rather see the club’s all-time goal-scorer move away from the Premier League if he was to sell him but has so far knocked back two bids for the striker from Bayern Munich. The German side are thought to be weighing up a third bid for Kane, whose contract is up next year.

If that is rejected and Kane remains a player for Spurs come August, Man Utd will consider a move, but they must recoup funds from a number of player sales first.

Erik ten Hag’s revolution

© ProShots - Erik ten Hag wants an overhaul

As we revealed in the summer of last year, Ten Hag wants players with ‘personality’ and earmarked a number of players to move on for the coming season. The likes of Fred, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay, and Donny van de Beek, among others, have all been told that the club would accept offers for them, as has now been reported everywhere else.

Hearing from a source that Alejandro Garnacho's new contract at Man United is basically wrapped up. Deal of four or five years + significant bonuses. Story out soon in @Transfersdotcom.
— Jacque Talbot (@jac_talbot) January 18, 2023

The manager has pin-pointed Sofyan Amrabat as his main target for midfield ahead of the new season and will action a move for the Fiorentina player once the deals for Andre Onana and Hojlund are wrapped up and Fred is moved on.

Authoritative sources have informed us that Ten Hag wanted either Declan Rice or Frenkie de Jong for the upcoming window but the ongoing and protracted takeover saga, which has severely restricted the head coach’s transfer kitty, and Financial Fair Play regulations mean he will look to Amrabat to bolster the double-pivot of his 4-2-3-1 formation next campaign.

The Moroccan 26-year-old is already with CAA Stellar, one of the top agencies in the UK that oversee - or at least have a hand in on an intermediary level - most of the biggest deals going on in the Premier League. Amrabat has just one year left on his contract with the Serie A outfit and a deal can be struck for around £20million. Given who his agency is, it is unlikely but not impossible that Amrabat accepts a move to Saudi Arabia, something which the Pro League is weighing up.