Erik ten Hag's transfer claim is being proved right - and it's bad news for Manchester United

"All the big players want to play in the Champions League," Erik ten Hag insisted after leading Manchester United to a top-four place in May and it was hoped a seat in Europe's top competition would bring the big names back to Old Trafford.

Ten Hag's debut campaign in England was an undoubted success and finishing third in the Premier League looked set to lay the foundations for continued improvement. United were not guilty of resting on their success in the summer, spending more than £170million on seven major arrivals.

To say things have not quite gone to plan since would be an understatement. United are seventh in the Premier League, out of the Champions League and battling an ongoing injury crisis.

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The first of those three points will be of most concern to Ten Hag, particularly going into the January transfer window. United are not planning to be particularly busy next month but have identified weak spots in the squad and will try to strengthen.

Goals have been the major problem for United this season and so reports linking them with the Bundesliga's second-top goalscorer, Serhou Guirassy, are of no surprise. But a report from The Sun suggests the striker would prefer Tottenham and by Ten Hag's own logic, it's hard to argue.

"Manchester United is a big club. In the period I've been here, I've noticed everyone wants to play for Manchester United," he admitted in May. "Now it looks like we are in the Champions League, there is even more interest because they know we are in the Champions League and the Premier League at a high level. So, qualification will be