The list of players Manchester United have missed out on over the last decade is worrying.
A year ago, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke about Manchester United missing out on Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland despite wanting to sign both players during his time as manager.
Solskjaer can also include Arsenal’s Declan Rice on the list of players he wanted to bring to Old Trafford. For one reason or another – mostly financial – United’s owners looked elsewhere.
That was also the case when Erik ten Hag sat in the Old Trafford hot seat. Ten Hag missed out on Frenkie de Jong despite holding advanced talks with the Barcelona star.
According to ESPN, Ten Hag “voiced his frustration” at being denied several signings as United boss. One of his biggest targets was England captain Harry Kane.
Ten Hag really wanted Kane at United, but club chiefs decided a £64m deal for Rasmus Hojlund offered better value…
Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images
Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images
Harry Kane makes Champions League history
With United walking away from a deal, Kane instead joined Bayern Munich for £82m, and his fine form in Germany has rubbed salt into United’s wounds.
In 36 appearances this season, Kane has scored 32 goals, firing Bayern to the top of the Bundesliga.
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He has also been in great form in the Champions League, scoring 10 goals in 11 games – putting him just one behind the competition’s top scorer Raphinha.
Kane’s 10th in the competition came on Tuesday evening when he helped Bayern book their spot in the quarter-finals by scoring in a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
His goal means he is now the first English player in history to score 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign… and we’ve only just reached the quarter-finals.
Harry Kane adds to Man United striker woes
Kane has scored more goals in the Champions League than Hojlund has in all competitions this season.
United are experiencing a striker crisis at the moment with Hojlund extremely low on confidence but still the only senior option available to Ruben Amorim.
Joshua Zirkzee is better as a No.10, while Chido Obi is impressing but is still young and inexperienced.
READ MORE: Ruben Amorim boost as Man Utd target ‘no longer considered’ part of his club’s project, he ‘will leave’
When United were hunting for a striker in 2023, Ten Hag wanted both Kane and Hojlund as an experienced option and a young, promising forward.
However, United now need to sign a new striker this summer. United cannot return for Kane, but they do need to find an experienced goalscorer.