Man Utd takeover: Ten Hag savages Chelsea over transfer waste as Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans are destroyed in French media

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is adamant he will not just spend money for the sake of it once the takeover of the club goes through, firing a pointed dig at Chelsea over how to spend cash without a plan.

The Red Devils could soon have new owners as the race to buy out the Glazers heats up. The vastly-unpopular American owners, in charge since a £790m purchase of the club in 2005, are open to selling their share.

And with two bidders coming to the fore in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS and Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari investors, a decision could soon be announced.

Ratcliffe’s bid is reportedly worth £6bn, and allows majority shareholders Joel and Avram Glazer to retain a minority stake in the club.

Sheikh Jassim’s offer is understood to be worth £5.5bn, but also promises to wipe out the club’s £500m debts. Furthermore, the Qataris are also planning to invest in the local area, redevelop Old Trafford and provide significant funds for transfers.

To that end, fanciful reports outlines ambitious Sheikh Jassim plans to make a €100m-rated Real Madrid star the first signing of his era.

Indeed, per reports on Wednesday, the preferred bidder to buy the club will could be announced as soon as Friday of this week.

However, Ten Hag is painfully aware that simply spending money for the sake of it carries big risks.

Indeed, Thursday’s opponents Chelsea were taken over themselves just last summer, with Todd Boehly and his American consortium securing the £4.25bn purchase of the Blues.

And over the two transfer windows since, Chelsea have brought in a total of 17 first-team players.

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Ten Hag aims dig at Chelsea transfer approach

Spending well over £500m in the process, however, the Blues have endured a very tough season.

And they are on course for their lowest-ever points tally in a Premier League season. Moreover, the Blues are guaranteed to finish in the bottom half. Worryingly, they could finish the campaign as short as nine points clear of those suffering relegation.

To rub salt into their wounds, Ten Hag has made a pointed dig at their lavish spending. And he claims he will not lulled into the same trap at Manchester United.

Asked if Chelsea are a good (bad) example of how a takeover can create more problems, Ten Hag did not hold back.

“Absolutely, yes. When there is no strategy behind it, or the right strategy, money doesn’t work,” he said.

“In this moment, let’s say there is a centralisation of good players, of the best managers, also of the money, it is all here in the UK. That makes a great competition, but also a tough and a hard competition.

“You have to do the right things. You can have money but you have to spend it in a smart way. Also, you need a strategy behind it because, otherwise, the money doesn’t work.”

Man Utd ready to book UCL place

Ten Hag, however, insists this season is just the start for Manchester United and hopes to confirm their Champions League place on Thursday night.

However, the Dutchman insists the best is yet to come for United.

“I think we are in a good direction but also we can learn from this season,” he added. “We have to evaluate that after the season and make the right conclusions for the future. And that is what we will definitely do.

“In this moment we know, say, the balance in the league but over the summer things can change.

“We want to compete with the best and be in the Champions League. In the Premier League, you have to be one of the first four, that’s not easy. Many are competing for it, many think they should be in and we are one of them.

“First, we have to win the game on Thursday and get the job done. We are in a project. We’ve won one trophy but we want more.

“We are still on a journey. We think we are in the right direction but it can always be better because good is not good enough.”

Man Utd takeover: Big warning fired over INEOS bid

Meanwhile, reports in France have fired a warning to Manchester United should Ratcliffe’s INEOS bid prevail in the takeover saga.

Indeed, with INEOS owning French club Nice, their running of the company has been criticised by captain Dante this week.

Furthermore, INEOS’s regime has created ‘more lows than highs’ this season.

In addition, RMC Sport claims the planned takeover of Manchester United also ‘ worries the leaders of INEOS’.

And furthermore, there are concerns at Nice at the impact how the takeover bid of United will affect the Ligue 1 side.

Indeed, the saga is seen as a ‘disruptive element’ for Nice. And they reportedly feel INEOS are ‘more concerned’ with their bid for United.

Nice are also concerned there is not collective effort to plan for Nice’s long-term with INEOS having their eyes on Manchester more than Nice at this moment in time.

Following Dante’s outburst, there is a good chance the Nice supporters will ‘turn their backs’ on INEOS. And regardless of whether their bid for United is successful or not, it could damage their strategy in France.

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