EXCLUSIVE: Ten Hag unrest as Man Utd takeover stalling Mount, Vlahovic transfers

Steve Kay

• Updated: 3 Jun 2023 03:35 CDT
• 3 min read

Exclusive

Manchester United’s stalling takeover is leading to unrest in the footballing side of the club, with a planned move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic having been put on hold because of the uncertainty it continues to cause. It is also hindering negotiations for Chelsea's Mason Mount.

The Glazers put the Red Devils up for sale earlier this season, with a resolution having been expected rapidly in the spring. But Man Utd’s American owners have not been able to find a buyer at a price acceptable to them and talks continue to rumble on, with the transfer window set to open imminently.

According to the Financial Times, no deal is expected imminently.

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This is causing frustration for Erik ten Hag and his backroom staff as they try to build a stronger squad for the 2023/24 campaign.

FootballTransfers can confirm that Ten Hag still does not know what transfer budget he is set to work with this summer.

Furthermore, the Glazers’ dallying is now actively hindering the efforts of the manager, which is increasingly becoming a source of friction.

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Man Utd have had an offer ready to make to Juventus for Vlahovic for more than a week, but they have been unable to present the Serie A club with it because of the wrangling in the background.

Furthermore, no formal bid has yet been made for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount simply because the manager does not know what he is working with. Mount, meanwhile, has agreed personal terms with the Old Trafford club, but there is a danger the move could still be hijacked given the interest from United’s Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool in the player.

Ten Hag’s set to miss out on top priority

FootballTransfers understands that if a takeover is completed swiftly enough, Ten Hag sees Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as his preferred option to arrive at centre-forward.

This would also require any prospective new owner to pump a huge amount of money into the former Ajax boss’ transfer kitty.

At present, this looks highly unlikely, particularly in light of reports that a resolution to the takeover could be weeks away.

It’s shaping up to be a frustrating summer for Ten Hag and Man Utd.

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