Manchester United are believed to be leading Arsenal in the race to sign Norwich City defender Max Aarons this summer, which may cause some consternation for incoming boss Erik ten Hag.
Reports from The Sun claim United are one of the favourites to sign the £20m-rated Aarons at the end of the current campaign. The 22-year-old defender has once again been a bright spark for the Canaries in an otherwise frustrating Premier League campaign and, with interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Arsenal, it is no surprise that Man United have entered the running.
However, news of their pursuit could very well come as quite an unwelcome surprise to Erik ten Hag, who is expected to become the club’s fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. The club's apparent interest could very well risk angering the Dutchman, who has emphasised a strong desire to have an important say in transfers when he moves to Old Trafford.
Ten Hag has garnered a firm reputation for his due diligence and attention to detail, particularly when he is considering a move to a new club. This determination for absolute clarity is believed to have been festered during his early coaching days when he oversaw Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles and Bayern Munich's II team.
The Times claims Ten Hag has regularly been “seeking assurances” from United chiefs Darren Fletcher and John Murtough that he will be able to oversee a complete overhaul of United’s current squad and methods. The 52-year-old supposedly shares the same belief as Ralf Rangnick that United need more physically-gifted players to complement the Reds’ technical stars – and Aarons would certainly slot into this bracket.
But their apparent pursuit of the young defender, before Ten Hag has even be announced, could be viewed as a point of concern from Ten Hag's perspective. While no announcement is expected until after Ajax’s KNVB Cup Final on Sunday, where Ten Hag’s side take on PSV Eindhoven, it is a mere formality before the appointment is announced.
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Despite the Red Devils’ long-standing interest in hiring Ten Hag, it is believed the club appreciate the potential detriment speculation about his future could have on the Amsterdam club's final.
It is entirely possible that Ten Hag has given his go-ahead to the club moving for Aarons and other targets ahead of his arrival. However, the 52-year-old’s attention to detail has amounted to him allegedly demanding the groundstaff at Go Ahead Eagles to ensure the grass is no longer than 2mm – one can only imagine how precise and how involved he would like to be when United start making plans for the transfer window.
He may already have an idea of the calibre of player he wants at Old Trafford. But with Ajax chasing a third consecutive Eredivisie and KNVB Cup double, Ten Hag’s focus will surely be on nothing more than the current crop of players he is still overseeing rather than signing the likes of Aarons. The Dutchman is still yet to sign on the dotted line at United and until he does, the club may be well-advised to avoid alienating their new manager before he has even started.
