Ten Hag could part with £20m to raid Tottenham for surprise first Man Utd signing
Erik ten Hag could try to make Steven Bergwijn of Tottenham Hotspur his first Manchester United signing, according to a report.
Ten Hag is expected to be announced as the next Manchester United manager within the coming weeks. He has built up a good reputation at Ajax and is ready for his first taste of Premier League management.
He will be taking up a tough job that several of his predecessors have found challenging since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. Many changes could be required in relation to the Manchester United playing squad this summer.
Although reports have cast doubt on how big their budget will be, there are still various areas of the squad they will look to address.
One potential target, according to the Daily Mail, is Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn.
Ten Hag tried to sign Bergwijn for Ajax in January, only for Tottenham to block the move. But since the last transfer window – during which Spurs added competition in the shape of Dejan Kulusevski – closed, the 24-year-old has not started a single match for his current club.
Therefore, his future could be in question again by the time the summer comes around. A move to Man Utd may be surprising given his general inconsistency in the Premier League, but Ten Hag could get a tune out of him.
Despite being under contract until 2025, the Mail are predicting Tottenham will sell Bergwijn for around £20m this summer.
His six-figure weekly wages will also be less of a problem for Man Utd than they have been when Ten Hag has tried to sign him for Ajax. It may depend on what level of European football they qualify for, though.
Ten Hag keeping tabs on Bergwijn
Ten Hag has been tracking Bergwijn regardless; he was in attendance for the Netherlands international’s goalscoring cameos against Denmark and Germany during the recent international break.
If he can get him to replicate that form at club level, this could be an interesting signing for Man Utd to pursue. It would not be without an element of risk, though.
Nor would it be as exciting as the potential signing of a different Tottenham attacker, Harry Kane. However, reports now indicate that move is looking less likely.
Instead of getting the centre-forward, though, Man Utd may have a better chance of taking a Tottenham winger in the shape of Bergwijn.
He has scored three Premier League goals from 20 appearances in the competition this season. Only four of those outings have been starts.
Despite United being a potential suitor, they would not have a clear path to the former PSV ace. He is also of interest to unnamed clubs in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.
Previous reports elsewhere have also linked Bergwijn with AC Milan and even Arsenal.
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