Erik ten Hag left 'fuming' as potential Man Utd signing blocked by takeover delay

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has reportedly been left 'fuming' by the protracted sale of the club and its impact on his summer transfer plans.

United have been up for sale since November, with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Britain's richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitting several offers for the Premier League club.

But more than 200 days down the line, a preferred bidder is yet to be named by Raine, the banking group handling the sale on behalf of the Glazers.

Reports last week claimed that it is now unlikely that the sale of the club will be completed before the start of the new Premier League season, which gets underway on August 11.

And it is already having an impact on United's summer transfer business, with the domestic window now open for English clubs.

According to The Sun, United boss Ten Hag is 'angry' with the current situation and believes it has foiled his attempts to sign Declan Rice from West Ham.

Rice, 24, is expected to leave the Hammers this summer, with several top clubs interested in the England international.

Arsenal have already had one bid of around £90m rejected for the Hammers captain and are expected to return with a second offer in the coming days.

Arsenal in 'pole position' to sign Rice

The Sun claim Ten Hag is 'desperate' to make an offer for Rice and believe he would be a 'perfect addition' to his squad.

However, the delayed sale of United has allowed Arsenal to move into 'pole position' for the midfielder, with Ten Hag's spending restricted while the takeover process continues.

It is claimed that Sheikh Jassim is 'edging closer' to a takeover of the club after making a fifth and final offer.

But even if his bid is accepted, the Premier League still have to complete the Owners' and Directors' Test - which takes around ten days, meaning Ten Hag's hands 'may be tied for at least another two weeks'.

There are also doubts over whether United would be able to afford Rice in addition to other summer signings.

ESPN claim the club has between £100m and £150m to spend on new players this summer, although the figure will be bolstered by funds raised from outgoings.

Topics: Manchester United, Declan Rice, Arsenal, Erik Ten Hag, Premier League, Transfers

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan