Erik ten Hag has revealed that he wanted to sign Harry Kane and Declan Rice for Man United, but the club were unable to land either player.
The Dutchman spent over two years as manager at Old Trafford, winning the League Cup and FA Cup during his tenure before being sacked in November 2024.
The Red Devils spent huge fees on a number of players, including Casemiro, Antony, Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Leny Yoro, while he was in charge, but they also missed out on a number of big transfer targets.
Ten Hag says Kane was the player he wanted above all else, but suggests Man United could not afford to buy the striker from Tottenham Hotspur, who later sold him to Bayern Munich for £100 million.
Ten Hag explains why Man United failed to land Kane and Rice
“I said to them, ‘I want only one player – and you know who’,” he told The Athletic. “I fought for it. I heard that he was very positive, but I never spoke with him about the issue.
“I don’t know how the decision process went with John (Murtough, football director), Richard (Arnold, chief executive), the Glazers. They came to the conclusion. I don’t have the insights in the financials.”
Rice was also on Ten Hag’s list of targets, but West Ham United were unwilling to sell the England international at the time.
“The issue was that West Ham didn’t want to let him go,” he said. “I think we could have done more to test. We were on one page, they tried, but I don’t know how the process went. The point is, at United you need outstanding players.”
Another player who has long been linked with United is Frenkie de Jong, who played under Ten Hag at Ajax when they reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
“Everyone’s thinking the manager is doing the negotiations, that I’m involved in financial issues, but I was never,” he said. “Of course, I did my best; I set up meetings with him, where it was Richard and John involved as well, to pursue him to come over.
“He could have been very important building the team, not only that year but for the future. But we didn’t make it.”
Ten Hag was also interested in bringing Danny Welbeck back to the club and wanted Brian Brobbey, who is currently doing well at Sunderland, to play as a support striker for Cristiano Ronaldo.
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