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Man Utd transfers: Ten Hag tells £108m duo they are ‘free to leave’ as path is cleared for staggering double deal
Manchester United have reportedly told two of the club’s costliest signings in recent years they are free to leave this summer as Erik ten Hag prepares for more sweeping changes at Old Trafford.
The Dutchman has overseen an excellent first season at the Red Devils helm. Success in the Carabao Cup could be followed up with more silverware in the FA Cup and Europa League. And with the club well on course for a top-four finish, a return to the Champions League beckons next season too.
TeamtalkAs it stands, United bosses are understandably well impressed with the job Ten Hag has done. There was an element of hesitancy last summer when costly deals for the likes of Antony and Lisandro Martinez pushed their summer spending above budget and through the £200m barrier.
However, those outlays have certainly been justified with results on the field. Now the club are preparing to back Ten Hag again with another massive summer spree.
Indeed, the Dutchman will likely be offered the biggest budget ever offered to a United manager in a single transfer window. And while their spending capacity is being kept under wraps, reports suggest a budget of around £250m will likely be at his disposal.
To further help his cause, Ten Hag is also willing to sanction the departure of some of United’s fringe stars.
To that end, a report last month suggested seven stars will be made available as the Dutchman looks to add to his spending capacity.
And while Antony Martial was always likely to be among those to depart, it seems his exit is now beginning to gather pace.
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Juventus lining up move for Anthony Martial
The Frenchman arrived from Monaco in a deal that ultimately topped £58m from Monaco in September 2015. His best season came in the 2019/20 season when, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he scored 23 times in 48 appearances.
Sadly though, that is the only time he broken through the 20-goal a season barrier in a single campaign. And with his deal expiring this summer – albeit United do have the option to extend it – a parting of ways appears inevitable.
To that end, reports in Italy now claim Juventus are ‘lining up a move’ to bring Martial to Turin.
To facilitate the transfer, Calciomercatoweb claims United are willing to terminate his deal by mutual consent.
As such, he will be granted permission to secure a free transfer move to a club of his choosing. And it is Juve who are leading that charge, with the 27-year-old coming in as a potential replacement for Dusan Vlahovic, who will be sold to the highest bidder. Previously linked with Arsenal and Manchester United, Atletico Madrid are now looking like potential options for the towering Serb.
Martial won’t be the only departure at Old Trafford either, with Football Insider now reporting Ten Hag has told Aaron Wan-Bissaka he is also ‘free to leave this summer’.
The £50m signing from Crystal Palace in summer 2019 has recently reclaimed his place under Ten Hag in recent weeks.
However, with potential new recruits pushing him down the order, Ten Hag has seemingly decided the time is right to cash in.
And the 25-year-old will not be short of suitors, with West Ham, Wolves and former club Crystal Palace named as candidates to sign him.
Ten Hag wants double deal for Man Utd
The United manager is preparing for a one-in, one-one policy this summer. And with the £108m duo being binned off, the path is being cleared for two big-money arrivals to sign in their place.
First up, United are likely to push through the signing of a new right-back to replace Wan-Bissaka. The United boss likes the look of Denzel Dumfries of Inter Milan. However, a move for Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong looks a more likely capture.
The departure of Martial – most likely on a free transfer – perhaps comes as a surprise given the fact that a renewal could see United claim a fee for him.
But the club feels sanctioning the new deal could saddle them with his wages for a further season. And with his wages, together with a transfer fee putting him out of reach for some clubs, that is an outcome that makes complete sense.
And with around £1m a month saved on Martial’s wages, United can put those funds towards the signing of a new big-name striker.
To that end, Ten Hag continues to be linked with a plethora of big names. But the Dutchman is reportedly now honing in on two options: Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen.
The two transfer targets, however, look likely fluid options with much depending on how the rest of this season shapes up. In particluar, Kane remains unsure whether to extend his contract at Tottenham as he awaits news on both their next managerial appointment and whether they can offer him Champions League football next season.
Disappointment in both fields could open up a blockbuster summer switch, with Ten Hag keeping a close eye on developments.
Should he end up staying, however, United may instead look to pay Napoli’s sky-high asking price for Osimhen instead.
Either way, nothing is clear at this stage as to which big-name striker United will firmly move for.
Source:Teamtalk