Chelsea transfer news: The Blues find themselves overlapping with Manchester United in the market heading into the summer, with Erik ten Hag giving an update
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag hasn't shied away from making transfer comments and aiming digs this week ahead of the meeting with Chelsea on Thursday. The two clubs have become intertwined with potential movements between the club and similar targets this summer and have some key similarities heading into the match.
As two of the clubs that have spent the most money on transfers in the past decade the success of both teams has been lower than expected for such large outlays, and Ten Hag admitted it takes more than just funding to win on the pitch. "When there is no strategy or [not] the right strategy, money doesn’t work," said Ten Hag.
United themselves have been told that the scattergun approach from Boehly-Clearlake is a blueprint to avoid if the takeover at Old Trafford happens, and Ten Hag explained why it's important to go beyond a Harlem Globetrotters approach.
"In this moment a centralisation of good players, of the best managers, also the money, is all here in the UK, and that makes a great competition but also a tough and a hard competition," he said. "You have to do the right things, you can have money but you have to spend it in a smart way and you need to have a strategy behind it, otherwise the money doesn’t work."
He would be able to leave for free in just over 12 months, a situation that the owners are not prepared to entertain, so he faces an ultimatum of signing a new contract after months of stalemates and loggerhead talks or moving to another club. United, alongside Arsenal and Liverpool, are keen to snap him up..
Former Tottenham striker Darren Bent did address the topic or Neymar and Mount, however, saying that the Englishman would be a better signing for United but not for the same price of £80million. "I 100% totally agree with that," he said on talkSPORT.
"Even though Neymar is a better player, I think Mason Mount would be a better fit in and around the dressing room, never gives you any problems. You know exactly what you're getting, you don't have to worry on a Friday night, 'is my phone going to ring?' because Mason Mount is in trouble again.
"You don't have to worry about any of that because he's a model professional. People that I know that know him and watching him at Derby, he's always trying to make himself better, always available, he's got good character, got good nature."
"I think he gets into any top team's squad. I'm not saying he starts for every team because I don't think he does, but I think at a better price.
"Because I'm not paying £80million for no player with one year left on his contract - especially in a season where they have got three goals."
Chelsea are not only attempting to beat United off the pitch with transfers and ownership organisation but also have the task of winning at Old Trafford in a bit to end the season on a higher note than they have had for the rest of a torturous campaign.
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