Manchester United’s transfer business during Erik ten Hag’s time at Old Trafford has come under fresh scrutiny after the former manager revealed how several major targets slipped through the club’s hands.
From Frenkie de Jong to Declan Rice, Harry Kane, Danny Welbeck and Brian Brobbey, Ten Hag’s comments paint a picture of a club that had opportunities to strengthen its squad but failed to turn enough of them into successful deals.
And honestly, this is exactly what incompetence in the boardroom can look like!
Ten Hag wanted a squad capable of competing for the biggest trophies, but the process of identifying targets, convincing players and completing transfers was not always successful. Some deals were difficult, some were never fully pursued, and others fell apart before Manchester United could get them over the line.
1. Frenkie de Jong: United tried, but the deal never happened
Ten Hag revealed that Manchester United held several meetings with De Jong, with senior figures Richard Arnold and John Murtough also involved in the attempt to convince the Barcelona midfielder to join.
The Dutch manager believed De Jong could have played a huge role in building United’s midfield for years to come. However, despite the club’s efforts, the transfer never happened.
United eventually moved on to other midfield targets, but the failed pursuit remains a reminder of how difficult that transfer window became.
2. Declan Rice: Ten Hag believes United could have done more!
This is where things get really interesting!
Ten Hag admitted that West Ham were unwilling to let Rice leave easily, but he also suggested Manchester United could have done more to secure his signature.
Rice eventually joined Arsenal in 2023 for a reported initial fee of £100 million, potentially rising with add-ons. He has since become a key figure in Arsenal’s midfield.
Imagine United having Rice anchoring their midfield. His leadership, defensive strength, passing and ability to control games could have addressed several problems the club struggled with.
Was the deal simply too difficult, or did United fail to push hard enough? Ten Hag’s comments have reignited that debate.
3. Harry Kane: Ten Hag’s dream signing that never arrived!
This might be the biggest revelation of them all!
Ten Hag reportedly told the United hierarchy that Kane was the one player he wanted above everyone else. He believed the England captain was open to the possibility of joining, although Ten Hag admitted he never spoke directly to the striker about the move.
Kane eventually left Tottenham for Bayern Munich in 2023, leaving United without the striker their manager desperately wanted.
United could have had an experienced, world-class goalscorer leading their attack. Instead, the club continued searching for solutions up front.
When your manager identifies his preferred striker, why doesn’t the club do everything possible to explore the deal? That is a question United supporters have every right to ask.
4. Danny Welbeck: Another opportunity that went nowhere!
Ten Hag also revealed that United had contact with Welbeck, who was playing for Brighton at the time.
The discussions were handled through Darren Fletcher rather than directly by Ten Hag, and the former United striker was reportedly interested in the possibility.
However, according to Ten Hag, changes within the club’s executive structure meant the move never progressed to a formal offer.
Welbeck’s experience, knowledge of Manchester United and ability to contribute in attack could have offered the squad another option.
Yet again, the opportunity passed without a deal being completed.
5. Brian Brobbey: United were too late!
Brobbey was another striker Ten Hag wanted, particularly as a potential partner or alternative alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, the manager admitted that not everyone at the club initially agreed with the idea. By the time they had reached a shared decision, United were already behind in the race, and Brobbey had moved on to other plans.
For Ten Hag, it was another example of how disagreements and delays could damage transfer plans before they even reached the finishing line.
The real problem: Was Manchester United’s board letting its managers down?
Ten Hag’s revelations raise serious questions about United’s recruitment strategy during his time at Old Trafford.
Of course, not every failed transfer can be blamed on the board. De Jong’s own wishes mattered, West Ham had every right to demand a suitable fee for Rice, and Kane’s potential move involved major financial and sporting decisions.
But the bigger concern is the pattern Ten Hag describes: targets identified, meetings held, disagreements within the club and deals that never materialised.
United spent heavily during Ten Hag’s reign, including signing Antony, Casemiro and Lisandro Martínez in his first summer. Yet spending big is not the same as building a balanced squad with the right players in the right positions.
That’s what makes this story so frustrating for United supporters. The club had money, a global reputation and opportunities to pursue elite players, but the recruitment process did not consistently deliver the squad the manager wanted.
Ten Hag won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup with Manchester United, but his time at Old Trafford was also marked by inconsistency, poor league results and difficult transfer decisions.
The question now is simple: how different could United’s story have been if the club had recruited more effectively?
That’s what incompetence in the boardroom looks like. Or, at the very least, it raises serious questions about planning, communication and decision-making at the top.
What do you think, United fans? Could Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Frenkie de Jong have transformed Ten Hag’s project, or were some of these deals simply too difficult to complete?
