Erik ten Hag has made it clear he wants a say on Manchester United's transfer business this summer as they target a move for Darwin Nunez.
The Ajax boss is stalling over United's job offer as he wants assurances he will have full control over who the Red Devils will sign in the upcoming window, according to The Times. The Old Trafford club are expected to undergo major surgery given their well-documented struggles this season with players heading in both directions.
United's priority is to appoint a new manager as talks with Ten Hag continue, but they are also working behind the scenes to strengthen their squad with the transfer window quickly approaching. Nunez has emerged as one of the club's top targets as United look to add attacking reinforcements. The Uruguayan, who scored in a losing effort against Liverpool midweek, has been mightily impressive for Benfica this season.
And The Athletic claims United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are the three teams in pole position to win the race to sign the Benfica star as initial talks are expected to conclude in the coming week. It's claimed that United are willing to grant Ten Hag's wish of being in charge of recruitment, as well as giving him time to rebuild the squad, which suggests he has already given his seal of approval for Nunez's signing.
It could cost United a fair chunk, however, as Benfica boss Nelson Verissimo is hopeful his side can get close to the astronomical fee paid for Joao Felix, who joined Atletico Madrid for £113million in July 2019. He said: "What do you think? Darwin is an excellent player, he has shown all his quality. He has helped the team a lot, it is true that the team has also helped him a lot.
"He is a young player, with a lot of potential, it is natural that given what has been his growth throughout this season and also a lot as a result of the performance he has had in the Champions League games, it is natural that he arouses the interest of the big European clubs.
“It will be at the end of this season or the following season, depending on what it has shown, it is natural that it will arouse interest from other clubs and naturally there may be the timing in which it goes. Now regarding numbers, I hope as a Benfica fan that it will go for numbers close to those that were João Félix's numbers. Now it's not for me to enter numbers on that field.
“In what is my day to day with the player, in what is given to us to observe in training and in the game, naturally we are here before a different player and all the different players arouse the interest of the big European clubs. Darwin is on that lot, obviously."
