Erik ten Hag dealt early Man Utd reality check over club's transfer pulling power

Manchester United’s dismal season could affect their ability to attract players to Erik ten Hag’s planned overhaul this summer.

Ten Hag is readying himself to leave Ajax and take over from Ralf Rangnick at the end of the season after signing a three-year contract with the option of a further year at United. The Dutchman will be backed in the transfer market, with United in desperate need of fresh blood following a dreadful campaign under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rangnick.

With Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani among those out of contract and doubts hanging over many other players, Ten Hag will need to make use of the summer transfer window, for which he has been given a £100million budget by United. Although he is still focused on concluding Ajax’s season by winning the Eredivisie, the 52-year-old has already begun considering transfers for the 2022/23 campaign.

As Mirror Football exclusively reported, Ten Hag wanted to bring in Noussair Mazraoui with him from Ajax to Old Trafford this summer. The 24-year-old right-back is deemed the perfect replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but despite playing under Ten Hag for the past five years, Mazraoui is not keen on following him to United.

Mazraoui, who is out of contract with Ajax on July 1, has been courted by Bayern Munich, who are able to offer him Champions League football and the chance to compete for the Bundesliga title. United are understood to have offered a more lucrative financial package and a starting berth ahead of Wan-Bissaka, but to no avail.

The transfer snub shows just how far United have fallen from grace – and the size of Ten Hag’s rebuilding job. United are currently sixth in the Premier League, five points behind Arsenal in fourth,