Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag is plotting a move to replace Cristiano Ronaldo in the January transfer window.
The Manchester United manager has to fill in the vacuum created by the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Recall the Portugal forward mutually terminated his Manchester United contract following his controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
Now, Manchester United have slipped into a fresh problem trying to replace him in the squad ahead of the resumption of the Premier League on Boxing Day after the World Cup break.
Speaking at the warm weather training camp in Spain, where Manchester United is warming up for the Premier League restart, Erik Ten Hag said the club would have to hunt for a replacement for the forward.
Erik ten Hag says Manchester United will do ‘everything in our power’ to sign a replacement for the Portuguese star in the January transfer window.
FutballNews understood that PSV Eindhoven’s £50 million-rated Cody Gakpo is among the top targets pursued by Erik Ten Hag to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.
Another top target on the radar of Erik Ten Hag is 21-year-old Ronaldo Portugal national teammate – Goncalo Ramos.
Both players were in form for their national teams at the ongoing 2022 World Cup. Gakpo was an integral part of the Dutch team at the World Cup.
Goncalo Ramos, who plays for Portuguese side Benfica, scored a hat-trick as Portugal sailed past Switzerland.
He was Ronaldo’s replacement at the World Cup and is key on Erik Ten Hag’s radar.
However, Ten Hag insisted that United will only sign a new striker if the right player is available and must be at the right price before the club makes a move.
Ten Hag also stressed that United would not go for a cheap option who wouldn’t improve the squad in the long term.
Manchester United, under Erik Ten Hag, had made moves last summer to contract the services of Gakpo. The club met with PSV Eindhoven to discuss a possible transfer deal, but the deal did not go through.
The 6ft 4inch forward, who scored three goals in Holland’s run to the quarter-finals in Qatar, can pl
ay wide or center-forward.
Erik Ten Hag had already signed three players from Dutch clubs since taking over at United. He signed Lisandro Martinez, Antony from Ajax, and Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord.
If Gody Gakpo joins Manchester United in the January transfer window, he will become the fourth player from the Dutch league.
However, Erik Ten Hag maintains that
players have contracts, and he respects that and will make sure the team works in the background to get the right players in
Ramos is another player on Ten Hag’s radar. The 21-year-old scored a hat-trick for Portugal in their 6-1 win over Switzerland in the last 16 of the World Cup after replacing Ronaldo, and kept his place in the quarter-final against Morocco.
While hoping to find a replacement for Ronaldo, Erik Ten Hag also believes Anthony Martial will develop into the complete centre-forward if the Frenchman can stay free of injury.
Martial has resurrected his Old Trafford career under the new manager despite being hampered by hamstring, Achilles and back problems during Ten Hag’s six months in charge.
Manchester United is currently 5th in the Premier League, with Erik Hag hoping to continue on the team’s fine form as the Premier League restarts on Boxing Day.
