'United set to advance with negotiations': Luckhurst says Ten Hag already eyeing 'tremendous' CB

Manchester United are set to step up their transfer activity following the appointment of Erik ten Hag, Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News reports. 

United announced on Thursday that Ten Hag would become the permanent successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.

A big summer awaits for the club, who have fallen from second in the Premier League table last season to sixth this year. They could yet match their worst-ever Premier League finish of seventh, recorded in 2013/14.

United may have had to put transfer operation on hold as they negotiated with Ten Hag. The Dutchman reportedly wanted to be ‘100% involved’ in deciding on new signings (via Fabrizio Romano).

Luckhurst tweeted on Friday morning that ‘United [are now] set to advance with negotiations for certain targets’ now that Ten Hag’s arrival has been confirmed.

In the attached story, he names Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres as one of the players shortlisted.

Torres was apparently United’s plan B had they failed in their efforts to sign Raphael Varane from Real Madrid last summer.

Elsewhere, The Red Devils are thought to have enquired about a young Premier League striker.

And they had already set a move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips in motion, even before Ten Hag’s appointment was made official.

United are clearly long-term admirers of Torres, and fans will be familiar with him too.

They’ve faced The Yellow Submarine three times in the past year, losing to Unai Emery’s side on penalties in the Europa League final before exacting revenge with a pair of victories in the Champions League group stage.

Still, the first of those wins was certainly hard-fought, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a 93rd-minute winner on home soil after Paco