Why Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to sign Ryan Gravenberch or Sofyan Amrabat

Last season, it took just two matches for Manchester United to realise they needed to sign another midfielder. This season, they've come to the same realisation again.

Erik ten Hag has known all summer that his side was in need of at least two new faces in the middle of the park, and after scraping past Wolves and losing to Tottenham, those needs have only been exasperated. The harsh reality is that United have already missed out on the best options.

Jude Bellingham was a 'dream' target but never a realistic one, while Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice were both well out of budget. United went early with a move for Mason Mount and Ten Hag's reputation is on the line after spending so much on a player who would have been available on a free at the end of the season.

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A year on, United are considering a late move for Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and there is also prolonged interest in Fiorentina ace Sofyan Amrabat. They might not have been the first-choices at the start of the summer, but right now, with time running out, there might not be anyone else above them on the list.

It is easy to see why. No, not just because they were both born in the Netherlands and have played in the Eredivise, though that certainly helps.

Ten Hag is gradually moving closer to having a squad that is completely in his mould, and ideally, he would like every player at senior level to be aligned with his tactical approach. In order to do that, he would like to have midfielders who are comfortable with the ball at their feet and capable of playing the