Man Utd slammed for trying to sign Tottenham, Chelsea outcasts: ‘They should be going after the best players’
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag
Manchester United have been slammed for trying to buy players from Tottenham and Chelsea who cannot currently get in their respective first team line-ups.
Erik ten Hag is pushing to sign another midfielder and a left-back before Friday’s transfer deadline, with Spurs star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella two names heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford.
The latter, who is being tipped to make a loan move to United, only moved to Stamford Bridge in a £62million deal last summer but has already found himself on the fringes of Mauricio Pochettino’s first XI.
Cucurella was handed a rare start in the Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon on Wednesday night, although Ben Chilwell is expected to resume that role when the Premier League returns this weekend.
As for Hojbjerg, the Dane is not suited to Ange Postecoglou’s style of play in north London and has been told that he can move on.
Atletico Madrid were initially keen on a deal but that talk has gone quiet, leaving the door open for the Red Devils to strike.
READ MORE: A full list of every completed Premier League transfer in the 2023 summer transfer window
Man Utd urged to sign the best
However, former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has been left stunned that Ten Hag wants players from two Premier League rivals who are only good enough for cameos off the bench at best so far this season.
He told talkSPORT: “Erik ten Hag might be about to get Cucurella, but the Cucurella I saw last season wasn’t good enough.
“On the ball he was erratic, he wasn’t making the right decisions and he was giving the ball away.
“His positioning wasn’t great. Maybe he deserves a second chance at Manchester United.
“I just don’t see Manchester United as being that team that are going for players Chelsea don’t want and players that Tottenham don’t want.
“When you think of Manchester United, you think they should be going after the best players.”
United also look set to have suffered a separate blow, with another midfield target now unlikely to move to Old Trafford.
Latest reports suggest that Fiorentina have rejected a loan offer from United for Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat ahead of Friday’s deadline.
Ten Hag’s men are back in action on Sunday when they head to Arsenal in the Premier League.
READ MORE: Man Utd set to sign ‘useful’ centre-back on one-year deal after fresh Varane injury blow
