A combination of Erik ten Hag's appointment as Manchester United manager and an overhaul of the club's scouting structure led to a very specific type of transfer policy this summer. The new coach stated who he wanted and John Murtough tried his best to get them for him.
Frenkie de Jong was an unfortunate failure given how important he would have been to Ten Hag's new-look midfield, but the club did succeed in getting a number of his other targets. Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Antony all arrived at Old Trafford.
And the majority of those players had something in common, they either played or had played at Ajax. And this could mean that in the near future, United could return to the Dutch club for another signing if this crop pays off.
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But who could United sign? Jurrien Timber was targeted by Ten Hag during the summer, but given the club's options at centre-back, this now seems highly unlikely, especially after the arrival of Martinez.
Brian Brobbey recently stated in an interview with the Dutch press that he would like to play for United at some point in his career, however that may not be in the near future. However, there is an Ajax forward that the club should be keeping an eye on.
Mohammed Kudus wanted out of Ajax in the summer, but a mixture of timing and Ajax already selling too many talents meant he was not allowed to leave. Everton were reportedly interested however they were not able to secure a deal.
Since then, Kudus has remained a peripheral figure but has scored five goals and registered an assist in the minutes he has played. During that time he has also played in a number of positions; out on the right, behind the striker and upfront for Alfred Schreuder's side.
That sort of versatility would solve a lot of problems for Ten Hag. If Cristiano Ronaldo was to depart at the end of his current contract without extending, United would need reinforcements in attack and he would also be a dynamic rotation option with Bruno Fernandes or on either wing.
And at 22 he would be an option for now and also for the future, fitting into Ten Hag's long-term vision for United. The hope is that if Kudus still wants to leave Ajax he would be available for a cut-price fee, however, with Ghana appearing in the World Cup his fee could skyrocket if he impresses in Qatar.
Overall, with a long drawn-out season, you'd expect a number of clubs to dive into the transfer market in January to try and reinforce their squads in the run-in. For United, they could do a lot worse than adding Kudus to their ranks to help them hopefully secure a top-four finish and win some silverware.
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