Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag opened up in an interview with The Athletic about players he wanted to bring to the club but ultimately couldn’t secure. Among them were Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Frenkie de Jong.
Discussing the pursuit of Kane, ten Hag revealed he fought until the very end for the striker’s signature.
I wanted only one player, and you know who that is. I fought for it. I heard he was very positive about it, but I never spoke to him about it. I don’t know what happened…
Regarding Declan Rice, ten Hag stated that West Ham were adamant about not letting the midfielder go. As for Frenkie de Jong, the Dutch coach took personal initiative in arranging meetings, but those talks ultimately fell through.
Additionally, ten Hag expressed his frustration about the sale of Scott McTominay, which he believed went against prior agreements made during a summer meeting in Ibiza with the club's hierarchy.
I said: no sale for Scott McTominay. Scott has the DNA of United running through his veins. I made it clear: no departure. But in the end, they sold him. I was very puzzled and disappointed.
