Erik ten Hag has admitted that Manchester United’s next owners will have to show him the money if he is to continue his Old Trafford rebuild.
The Dutchman insists that the Glazer family’s decision to put the club on the market did not affect his plans in the January transfer market - and that he continues to talk to the Americans about his future ambitions.
But the expectation is that a £6 billion-plus sale of United will start to gather momentum in the coming weeks. And after taking just seven months to restore the pride of a club that has been in the doldrums for a decade, Ten Hag makes no secret of his belief that cash is king in the Premier League.
Ten Hag said: “For a long time I think the Premier League was always a two-horse race. But now I think it’s a six, seven, eight-horse race. It’s about strategy - but also, of course, it’s about finance.
“I am here to manage the team, to get the best out of them, and of course I have a job in bringing the right players in. I have to be in debate with the management of the club about this, the board of the club - and we have a lot of communication about it.
“But I’m not here for the finance. I’m here to achieve sporting aims and goals. So I am calm in the (current) situation. I’m planning and I always try to go for the best we can get - but also we have to have a plan B.”
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Ten Hag admitted when he took charge of United last summer that his aim was to challenge champions Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the table. But a rollercoaster campaign has seen Arsenal romp clear in the race for the Premier League and United are just two points behind second-placed City having played a game more. Liverpool are slumped in mid-table.
United spent over £220 million on squad reinforcements when Ten Hag arrived. But they refused to come up with the £40 million it would have cost to sign Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven last month - and saw the striker join Liverpool. It means loan signings Wout Weghorst, Marcel Sabitzer and Jack Butland were the only arrivals.
Ten Hag said: “I refer you to my first press conference, when I said things can charge quickly. I think they (City and Liverpool) will fight back.
“But what you also see is the dynamic that other clubs are also investing financially and also they have quality managers, players and are getting more good players in. That means the competition is really tough - which is good for the Premier League.”
