Manchester United transfer timeline could see Erik ten Hag land top target

There might need to be a slight lowering of expectations ahead of Erik ten Hag's first summer in charge at Old Trafford. Manchester United are set to back the Dutchman with a hefty transfer budget as he goes about his squad overhaul, though there is an acceptance that some positions that are in need of investment will need to be overlooked.

Ten Hag's dilemma is that he must balance quality with quantity as he looks to restock a depleted squad with players determined to better themselves. That is, of course, easier said than done.

United have a track record of spending more in the summers after they have failed to qualify for the Champions League, though that is in part due to the fact that they often overpay to compensate for the large amount of Thursday night football on offer to new recruits.

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Six years ago, United were able to break the then-world record fee to sign Paul Pogba for £89million as they prepared for a season in the Europa League, though a big factor in his arrival was the lure of Jose Mourinho as manager. Three years ago, without an elite manager to boast about, spending £145m was only enough to get Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James.

Ten Hag is certainly more qualified than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was, but his reputation is dwarfed by that of Mourinho six years ago, even if it didn't result in success. This summer, United's recruitment might be somewhere in the middle of those two previous regimes, with three or four signings the most likely, even if Ralf Rangnick has warned that as many as 10 might be needed instead.

As a result, the summer budget simply won't be able to stretch to sign a top target like Harry Kane