Manchester United want Kante as Ten Hag draws up shortlist – Paper Round

Kante targeted by Ten Hag

Manchester United’s new manager Erik Ten Hag is looking to next season and drawing up his plans – much of which we will discuss later – but The Mirror has one surprise suggestion. The Dutchman is keen to bring in N’Golo Kante from Chelsea. The 31-year-old French international has a year left on his current deal and Thomas Tuchel may let him go to rebuild the side.

Paper Round’s view: Kante is clearly a class act and a popular player everywhere he goes – United need to change the mood at Carrington if recent reports are to be believed. It is a gamble to bring in a player the wrong side of 30 though and the key would be to give him a relatively short contract – but it is not clear if a player of Kante’s standing would need to stoop.

Ten Hag to keep Ramsay

Manchester United’s incoming new manager Erik ten Hag is finalising his plans for next season and has met with John Murtough, the club’s Football Director to discuss them. The Telegraph reports that he has made the decision on his coaching line up, and the Dutchman is keen to retain the side’s set-piece specialist, Eric Ramsay.

Paper Round’s view: United aren’t especially impressive at set pieces, but most clubs tend to struggle unless they put hours in on the training ground. Given the vast scope of the problems at the club that Ten Hag has to address, perhaps it is simply easy to retain a coach with limited responsibilities and focus first of all on the defence, passing, attacking and morale.

Seven options for Ten Hag

The Mail reports that Erik ten Hag and prospective assistant manager Steve McClaren attended a meeting in the Netherlands to discuss next season at Old Trafford. Seven potential transfers are listed. One is Chelsea midfielder Declan Rice, and another is Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong. In attack, Darwin Nunez and Victor Osimhen are possibilities, and there are three names for a defence that has struggled to keep clean sheets: Jurrien Timber, Paul Tores and Tyrell Malacia.

Paper Round’s view: United will lose Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata, Lee Grant, Jesse Lingard and very possibly more players this summer, including Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Mason Greenwood. While that presents a huge challenge for Ten Hag to kick-off with an extensive rebuild, it is probably what the club need to sort their future out.

PSG consider three options

Paris Saint-Germain have lined up three managers to potentially replace Mauricio Pochettino in the capital. Pochettino struggled to get his team to compete in the Champions League and the club want a rebuild. Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Thiago Motta at Spezia is one option, former Germany coach Joachim Low is another, as is River Plate manager Michel Gallardo.

Paper Round’s view: It’s always a risk appointing a manager from another continent and it doesn’t seem that PSG can afford more gambles – Gallardo would be that. However Low is far from perfect given he is not used to the day-to-day pressure of club management, and Motta might not have the experience. However, he used to play for PSG so at least could slot in swiftly.