Manchester United have still not given Erik ten Hag the two transfers he really wants

When the transfer window opened a little over a month ago Manchester United made it clear their priority this summer was strengthening in midfield and attack, something Erik ten Hag has since reiterated on the club's pre-season tour.

It was expected that United would focus on those positions first, before seeing how much was left in the kitty to focus on other areas, but as so often happens with plans in transfer windows, it hasn't worked out that way.

Frenkie de Jong is Ten Hag's top target in midfield but that deal with Barcelona is continuing to drag on and the end doesn't look to be in sight just yet, particularly after the Dutchman was included in the Catalan club's US tour squad on Saturday. United were also frustrated with their attempts to negotiate with Ajax for Antony and that deal looks unlikely to happen now.

It will naturally be frustrating to Ten Hag that he is now three weeks into pre-season training and the club still haven't signed players in the two key areas prioritised at the start of the window. The deal for De Jong must happen, given how long United have spent on it, but the longer it goes on the less time he has to acclimatise before the real action begins on August 7.

With United now around halfway through their pre-season tour they are committed to ending their time in Bangkok, Melbourne and Perth with the only new face on board. Tyrell Malacia was the first player signed this summer and the £12.9million left-back has played the second half of games against Liverpool and Melbourne Victory.

In both of those games, there has been a noticeable drop-off after 10 outfield changes were made at the break and Malacia hasn't yet done anything to suggest he can push his way ahead of Luke Shaw into