Man Utd make transfer breakthrough as Ten Hag closes in on mystery target

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed the club has progressed in transfer negotiations for a new striker – but kept the identity of the player in question under wraps. The head coach did not explicitly name the target nearing a deal as he admitted he wished he already had them through the door.

Atalanta star Rasmus Hojlund is Ten Hag’s top objective this summer, but Ajax ace Mohammed Kudus and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kolo Randal Muani are also on his shortlist in a bid to address United’s lack of goals. Revealing there had been a breakthrough for a deal, Ten Hag told the media in San Diego late on Monday night (July 24): “Progress, yes. You know how it works – when we have him, we will tell you directly.”

“What I can say is we’re do everything that’s in our power to get it done,” said Ten Hag. “For me, as soon as possible and the earlier the better, because we have to integrate him in the team, the way of play.

“In an ideal situation, he would already be here, but you don’t always get ideal situations as a manager and you have to deal with the situation.

“We’re underperforming [in terms of scoring goals] and we’re aware of it. But others have to contribute in that area and, in Mason Mount, we have a player capable of scoring goals, to put Rashford into the position to score more goals and, as a team, we have to score more.”

According to The Mirror, Atalanta wants £80million for Hojlund, while Manchester United is hesitant to pay a fee above £60million. The 20-year-old burst onto the scene last season with nine goals in 32 Serie A matches.

The Red Devils are eager to bring in a new striker after spending last season short at the position. Wout Weghorst failed to impress on a short-term deal after Cristiano Ronaldo’s midseason departure, while injuries plagued Anthony Martial. Indeed, the latter player remains in injury recovery mode, according to Ten Hag, but is progressing from a hamstring problem.

“Today [Martial] was in the team training,” the head coach told reporters. “He is a brilliant football player, he will score goals. We hope he will be fit and stay fit. It is easier when you have a striker in your team.”

The Red Devils probably won’t complete a transfer and fly a player into their ranks before their ongoing U.S. tour ends. It’s more likely that an addition will join them next month once the team is back in England.

A partial section of the traveling squad will participate in Tuesday night’s friendly against Wrexham, the Welsh club that has captured international attention after Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney completed their takeover and turned the team into the subject of the documentary series “Welcome to Wrexham”.

Manchester United has been perfect this month, defeating Leeds United 2-0, edging Lyon 1-0, and toppling Arsenal in New Jersey. After meeting Wrexham, the Red Devils will play a friendly against Real Madrid on Wednesday night and Borussia Dortmund on July 31 to close the U.S. tour. Exhibitions against Lens at Old Trafford and Athletic Club in Ireland will then cap Ten Hag’s busy preseason schedule ahead of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.

In that time, the club will hope new signings Mason Mount and Andre Onana will grow comfortable in the dressing room with their new teammates to help avoid the catastrophic start that hampered last season. Manchester United lost their first two matches by a combined score of 6-1 before settling into the term and finishing in third place.