'I don't know' - Ten Hag unsure of summer budget

3 years ago 48

ARTICLE AD BOX

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag admits he does not know what his summer transfer budget will be due to ongoing uncertainty over the club's takeover.

Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe last week submitted bids to buy varying controlling stakes in the club from the Glazer family and await a decision.

United sit fourth in the Premier League in Ten Hag's first season, are in the FA Cup final and won the Carabao Cup.

"I don't have influence on that," the Dutchman said about available funds.

"I don't know.

"The only thing I know is that Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs, among maybe the two biggest clubs in the world from a fanbase perspective.

"So, I think this club has to compete for the highest in the world, so Champions League, Premier League.

"But in football you need funds to construct squads because the level from your players makes you successful or not."

Scarf retrieval was 'just polite'

Sunday's 1-0 win over Aston Villa was played against the backdrop of supporters' protests against the Glazers.

Ten Hag was seen after the game picking up a green and gold scarf - the commonly-accepted symbol of fans' longstanding grievances with the club's American owners - and throwing it back into the crowd.

However, the 53-year-old said that while he knew what the scarf represented, the action was "just polite".

When asked if he wanted the takeover process - which began back in November - completed as quickly as possible, Ten Hag replied: "Yeah, I think it's clear what I want but it's not up to me.

"It's about others in this club, there are the owners and they make the decisions, so it's not up to me."

Ten Hag added that "everyone knows you need funds to construct a squad" and that "high level players cost a lot of money" but that he was also happy with the efforts of his current squad as they close in on Champions League qualification.

"I, we, see this as a project," the United boss said. "In a project also it belongs that you are in windows, that you strengthen your squad needs or to make refreshments, so that you get more balance, definitely, and you bring young players in.

"But I think we already have shown and proved that we can beat the best teams in the world, so, yeah, I think we can compete in the Champions League."

How to follow Manchester United on the BBC banner