Luke Shaw has urged Erik ten Hag to get Manchester United's summer transfers done as "quickly as possible" after the Frenkie de Jong debacle.
United's recruitment team spent much of last summer trying to sign De Jong from Barcelona, but to no avail. The Red Devils eventually signed Casemiro from Real Madrid late in the window to give Ten Hag's side some much needed quality in midfield.
United could fall into a similar situation this summer if they try to sign Harry Kane, who is believed to be their main transfer target. Tottenham chair Daniel Levy is renowned for being a tough negotiator and it could take months for a transfer to be agreed.
The impact of the De Jong affair was clear, as United lost their opening two Premier League games of the season to Brighton and Brentford. They did not win until Casemiro was signed - a 2-1 win against Liverpool - although the Brazilian didn't feature in that game.
Shaw wants Ten Hag to conclude his transfer business nice and early to give United the best chance of competing for Manchester City for the Premier League title. United are set to finish third in the table, 17 points behind Pep Guardiola's champions.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Shaw said: "Like I said before, we have to be challenging for the [Premier League] title with this team. With the direction this manager is going under, I’m sure we’re going to make new signings, big signings this summer.
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"So hopefully we can get them done as quickly as possible so they're in for pre-season. Our aim for next season has to be winning the Premier League and the Champions League. That’s how we have to think from now on."
United are expected to move quickly to sign Kane. The prolific forward, who turns 30 in July and wants to stay in English football, has just one year remaining on his existing deal and this summer could be Tottenham's last chance to cash in on his hefty valuation.
If Levy refuses to budge on Kane early doors, United are likely to move on to other targets. These include Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen - although the 24-year-old could prove too expensive at £130million - and Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund, 20.
United will be able to attract better players after qualifying for the Champions League. Ten Hag's side booked their spot in UEFA's premier club competition by beating Chelsea 4-1 at home on Thursday night. Shaw recognises the job Ten Hag has done at Old Trafford after United finished sixth in the Premier League just a year ago.
He added: "I think teams around us can definitely see that United are coming back. First season under the new manager, there's always going to be a bit of transition. It's clear to see what he has brought in and how he's changed the way we think, the way we play.
"I think he wants to bring a lot of intensity. Everything he wants the team to do is high intensity, he wants us to be aggressive, on the front foot, pressing as high as possible. But also with the ball I think he’s made us better. I think we're definitely more of a threat now when we're on the ball. It's clear to see we're going in the right direction."
