Imagine Kane and Rice at Old Trafford! Ten Hag reveals the dream signings Manchester United failed to make
Manchester United could have had a completely different team under Erik ten Hag! The former Red Devils manager has revealed that he desperately wanted to bring Harry Kane and Declan Rice to Old Trafford, but the club failed to secure either England international despite his requests.
Details: Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag explained that he wanted proven Premier League players who could immediately handle the competition's demands. He believed established stars such as Kane and Rice would have provided the quality, experience and leadership necessary to rebuild Manchester United into a title contender.
The Dutch coach revealed that Kane was his preferred attacking target in the summer of 2023. He pushed the club's hierarchy to pursue the Tottenham striker, but United ultimately decided against the deal. Kane subsequently joined Bayern Munich and became one of Europe's most prolific forwards.
Rice was another major target. Ten Hag wanted the midfielder after Manchester United failed to convince Frenkie de Jong to leave Barcelona. However, West Ham resisted selling Rice, who eventually completed a £105 million move to Arsenal. Ten Hag believes United could have done more to test the London club's determination.
Instead, United recruited several players who required time to adapt to the Premier League. Ten Hag stressed that his team still managed to win the League Cup in 2023 and FA Cup in 2024. Nevertheless, he believes established stars could have accelerated the rebuilding process. His latest comments have reignited debate about the transfer decisions made during his time at Old Trafford.
Reminder: Harry Kane recently won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first English winner since 2001.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
