Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag appears to have been frustrated by club officials after being keen to add to his squad in January.
Ten Hag oversaw a summer transfer window that was ultimately a busy one for United, with three deals concluded in the closing week to take the total incomings at Old Trafford up to six. The arrivals of Casemiro, Antony and Martin Dubravka followed those of Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen.
The high number of incomings was a necessity as the exits of first-team players over the summer months went into double figures, including high-earning stars such as Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Nemanja Matic. Cristiano Ronaldo remains intent on departing the Red Devils despite not getting his summer transfer exit wish, while other players are likely to be moved on.
Ten Hag recently insisted that he wanted to make further additions to his squad in January, when the transfer window reopens. Hd said: “We have many meetings - we have to improve the structures in and around the club and we will also look to the window in January or next summer already.”
However, it soon became apparent that United chiefs were unwilling to spend further in January after sanctioning a greater spend than anticipated this summer. The early-season defeats by Brighton and Brentford prompted the club to back the boss with late signings which they felt were urgent.
That led to United pushing the boat out to secure the high-profile and high-cost signings of Casemiro and Antony from Real Madrid and Ajax respectively. It had felt like the club had reached an early crisis point and they acted accordingly in the transfer market by spending more money than they had planned to land their desired players.
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United have won each of their last four Premier League matches – including eye-catching victories over Liverpool and Arsenal – and that has coincided with the club hoping to draw back on spending, without actively being on the lookout for players in the January window.
Ten Hag said at Friday’s press conference, when quizzed on the priority for future signings being in the summer transfer window, rather than January: "I was already aware. The conclusion that I look for is buys. But you have to prepare what can happen. Look to your squad, what is now there. It's also about working out strategies, how you see your players, how do you want to play."
The United boss was speaking ahead of this weekend’s Premier League derby trip away to Manchester City, which will prove another huge test of his side’s credentials this season. Having finished a distant sixth in a disastrous campaign last time round, Ten Hag is hopeful of building on recent momentum at Old Trafford.
