Ten Hag identifies THREE Man Utd signings for Ratcliffe

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 2 Jun 2024 04:05 CDT
• 3 min read

Erik ten Hag has reportedly told new Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe which three players the squad needs as doubts about his own future swirl.

Ten Hag's Old Trafford future is on a shaky nail.

On one hand, the club endured their worst finish of the Premier League era under him last season, finishing eighth, eight points outside of the Champions League places.

READ MORE: Latest Man Utd transfer rumours

On the other, he led them to FA Cup glory with a deserved victory over Manchester City, and there could be few viable alternatives to the Dutchman on the market this season.

One of Ten Hag's big complaints in the season just finished was that he was rarely able to field his strongest XI, and now he has spoken out about which players would make the team more competitive again.

Ten Hag's transfer targets

"We need to get a striker in to work alongside Rasmus Hojlund," he said in quotes relayed by The Daily Express.

"I also hope we manage to get another central midfielder and also a replacement for [Raphael] Varane. Then I think things will look very good for next season - with the caveat that the players are fit and stay fit.

"Then you can start playing towards the top four with such an 11. That gives me hope and is also realistic in my eyes."

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United have been linked - as ever - with a host of players heading into the summer transfer window, with the most recent rumours suggesting that Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, and Chelsea pair Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah could be at the top of their shopping list for strikers, midfielders and defenders respectively.

Ratcliffe has paid £1.03 billion for a 27.7 per cent stake in United that gives him 'sporting control' at the club. Whether he heeds Ten Hag's advice remains to be seen.