Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed his frustration with the club’s laid-back approach during the Cody Gakpo transfer saga.
The Red Devils were linked with Gakpo for the past six months, but Liverpool have left them behind in the race to bag his signature.
The 23-year-old is poised to join the Merseyside club, leaving Ten Hag annoyed.
ESPN reports that the manager has made it clear to the club’s hierarchy that he is frustrated with their failure to sign the Dutch international.
The same report further claims that United are eyeing a January swoop for former Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata.
Erik ten Hag needs a striker but Alvaro Morata is no solution
After spending more than £200 million in the summer transfer window, United are left with little funds for the upcoming window.
Gakpo was a rare high-quality forward available in January for a permanent move.
With Liverpool hijacking United’s attempt to sign him, the Red Devils are now forced to dive into the loan market.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s untimely exit has left Ten Hag short of centre-forward options.
Morata is being touted as one of the options to replace Ronaldo, but this transfer move would be a huge mistake for United.
He played 72 games for Chelsea, scoring just 24 goals and missing a host of chances. He was eventually sold to Atletico Madrid.
Morata would be a poor alternative to Gakpo and demonstrate that United have been left trailing by Liverpool’s recruitment policy.
His teammate Joao Felix has also been linked with a loan move to Old Trafford but the Spanish club want United to pay a loan fee and cover the player’s full wages.
This will take the total cost to €22m for six months, a sum the Premier League giants are reluctant to pay.
