How Man Utd could line up if Erik ten Hag landed his ‘dream signings’ after Harry Kane admission
Manchester United's lineup today could have looked completely different if Erik ten Hag had signed the four dream players on his wishlist.
Ten Hag's two-and-a-half year tenure at Man United came to a disastrous end in October 2024 after he collected just three wins from his opening nine Premier League games.
The Dutchman was "completely devastated" by United's decision to dismiss him, according to former teammate and close friend Hans Kraay Jr, who made the comments shortly after his dismissal.
Erik ten Hag's dream Man United signings revealed
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag opened up on his time at Old Trafford, including the "broken promises" INEOS made once he signed a one-year contract extension in 2024 after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
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He was "disappointed" at the club for selling academy graduate Scott McTominay to Napoli for £25.7million in the summer of 2024 and the fact that none of his four dream signings arrived.
It was well documented that Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong was his 'first choice' for midfield. United were in negotiations for weeks, but the Dutchman declined to join.
Ten Hag then pressed to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United instead, though the Englishman joined Arsenal for a package worth £105million in 2023.
“The issue was that West Ham didn’t want to let him go. I think we could have done more to test. We were on one page, they tried, but I don’t know how the process went. The point is, at United you need outstanding players," Ten Hag said of the club's failure to land Rice.
Arsenal's midfield dynamo wasn't the only world-class star they missed out on, though, as Harry Kane was the "only player" the Dutchman wanted as his starting centre-forward.
"I said to them, ‘I want only one player — and you know who’.” He means Harry Kane, then aged 30. “I fought for it. I heard that he was very positive, but I never spoke with him about the issue. I don’t know how the decision process went with John, Richard, the Glazers.”
Kane, who is a leading contender to win the Ballon d'Or, has since plundered an eye-watering 157 goals in 155 games for Bayern after leaving Tottenham.
Ten Hag then confirmed that United made "contact" with Brighton & Hove Albion for Danny Welbeck, who spent 13 years at the club before leaving in 2014.
Brian Brobbey, a player he coached at Ajax, was another striker he wanted to support Ronaldo in 2022. Sunderland went on to sign him last summer, and the powerful Dutchman netted 10 goals in 36 Premier League matches.
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How Man United could have lined up with Erik ten Hag's dream signings
Ten Hag may still be managing United today if his dream signings - notably Rice and Kane - had arrived. So, here is what their starting lineup would have perhaps looked like.
The 56-year-old may have persisted with Andre Onana in goal. The Cameroon international was loaned out for a second time in the summer, joining Trabzonspor, but he has accumulated more appearances than any other player (209) under Ten Hag despite enduring a horror time.
Diogo Dalot would undoubtedly be starting at right back, having established himself as a key player under the Dutchman. Likewise, Lisandro Martinez would partner Matthijs de Ligt, with the long-serving Luke Shaw completing his back line.
Rice would have slotted straight into his midfield alongside Scott McTominay - if he had persuaded the club to keep him - with Bruno Fernandes deployed ahead of that double pivot.
Bryan Mbeumo may have still arrived at Old Trafford even with Ten Hag at the club, and he would be starting on the right, with Marcus Rashford on the left. He made the second-most appearances of any player under Ten Hag (113).
Kane, of course, would be spearheading a potent attacking line, while Brobbey and Welbeck - his two other dream forward signings - would be used as impact subs.
Starting lineup in full: Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Shaw; Rice, McTominay, Fernandes, Mbeumo, Rashford; Kane.
Topics: Erik Ten Hag, Man Utd, Harry Kane
Thomas Griffin