Merson takes aim at Man Utd transfer decision after Ten Hag 'obsession' claim
Paul Merson has admitted he is "shocked" that Manchester United did not pursue a move for Harry Kane.
Kane started the summer as Erik ten Hag's top target as the Dutchman prioritised signing a new striker. But they gave up their chase as Tottenham failed to budge on their £100million asking price, despite the England captain being out of contract next summer.
Instead, they spent £72million to bring in Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta, despite the striker scoring just nine goals last season. By comparison, Kane notched 30 strikes for Spurs, despite the London club finishing eighth in the Premier League.
And United's decision to abandon their pursuit of Kane in favour of signing the relatively unproven Hojlund has not gone down well with Merson. He has instead been left flabbergasted by the failure to sign the England skipper, especially given that Ten Hag was previously described as being 'obsessed' with buying Kane.
"I still sit here today shocked that Man United didn't buy him. I am shocked. I think if Man United would have bought him, you would have got a good four or five years out of him and Man United would have won the Premier League," he told Sky Sports.
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"You have got no choice - you can't let him go for nothing, surely they can't let him go for nothing next season. Whoever you are and in this day and age - and I know there's a lot of money in the Premier League - but you'd can't be that mad.
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Paul Merson has been left shocked that Manchester United did not push harder for Harry Kane (Offside via Getty Images)"Will this Tottenham team get in the top four this season? I'd be shocked. So it's not like you're keeping him and definitely getting in the top four, so whatever we lose by selling him, you're making it back in the Champions League. That isn't going to be the case."
They're going from a team that we think might be in the top four to a team that wouldn't get in the top half if they lose him. They finished eighth last season and he scored 30 goals, 30 league goals."
While Merson has expressed his surprise at the decision to shun Kane in favour of signing Hojlund, Ten Hag appears happy with his new striker. Though he will miss the first game of the season through injury, the Dutchman is confident he can go on to have a major impact.
“He is really a front man, very direct to the goal. A very good presser, a physical presence and I think in the balance of this squad we needed that. Alongside Rashford, [he is] another player who is direct and can score goals and that is all in his mind – he wants to score goals," he said.
“I think he has such a huge potential and now it is up first to him to explore that and we will support him – all the coaches. l’m sure the whole team was waiting for a type like him and they will integrate and in the dressing room or on the pitch they will help him.
“But as I said, finally the player – he has to prove it. That is the characters we need: we need hungry players and he is a player who is so determined to score goals and win games and win trophies."
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