Man United can reignite dream Erik ten Hag transfer plan after brutal decision

It is a strong indictment of the struggle that was the 2023/24 season that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag feels nearly all areas of the squad need strengthening in some form or another.

While the victory in the final game of the season against Manchester City in the FA Cup final offered a brilliant end, everything up to that point was sub-par. The lowly Premier League finish, the disappointing Champions League exit and the host of lacklustre performances meant that both Ten Hag and Ineos are keen to see improvements quickly.

One of the priorities for United this summer has been to add bodies to their defence particularly after injuries last season exposed the shallow depth of the squad. On top of this, veteran defender Raphael Varane has now left the club so the need for centre-back reinforcements has been clear.

READ MORE: United might be forced to wait to sign dream Mainoo partner

READ MORE: United's dream midfield after five transfers

Lille's Leny Yoro was the first addition to the back line, seen as a coup by some thanks to Real Madrid's interest in the defender. However, MEN Sport understands in a dream scenario that Ten Hag would like to add a further two centre-backs to his squad.

Initially, the hope was for Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt and Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite would be the other additions. However, while personal terms have been agreed with De Ligt, interest in Branthwaite has hit a brick wall.

The Toffees are keen to keep hold of their centre-back and are unwilling to lower their asking price of at least £70m to accommodate United. Ultimately, considering all the improvements Ten Hag hopes to make, United cannot condone splashing that sort of money on one player.

So the hope of signing