Erik ten Hag confirms Manchester United missed out on top striker target

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has confirmed that the club missed out on their top centre-forward target during last summer's transfer window.

Harry Kane was heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford when it became clear that he would be leaving Tottenham Hotspur, but the England captain ultimately made the move to Bayern Munich.

Kane has had an outstanding campaign for the Munich giants, scoring 43 goals and registering 11 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions, and he is bidding to help the club win this season's Champions League.

After missing out on the 30-year-old, Man United moved for Rasmus Hojlund, and a positive first season with the Red Devils has seen the Denmark international score 14 times in all competitions.

Ten Hag, during a sit-down interview with Gary Neville, admitted that the club had wanted Kane but were ultimately unable to secure a deal for the centre-forward.

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Harry Kane was Man United's leading striker target last summer

"This club can only have outstanding players because the expectations are so high. Manchester United is the biggest, or maybe second or third, biggest club in the world, the highest fanbase so expectations will always be there," Ten Hag told Sky Sports News.

"Everyone has an opinion about Manchester United and it can only be outstanding players. That's players who have all the skillset, that is the physical and especially the mental skillset they need to perform and contribute because we have to win every game.

"There's an expectation around every game from us so you can only fulfil that expectation when you have those outstanding players.

"But in the last decade and in this period, we couldn't always get the players we wanted. But then you have to build and you have to accept that you get talent in instead of players who already proved it in the past.

"We have had some choices made with talents like Rasmus Hojlund. I can see a striker who already proved it, who we want to sign and we couldn't get him. And then we went to Rasmus because he's a talent."

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Erik ten Hag has full faith in Rasmus Hojlund

When asked whether he was addressing a failed move for Kane, Ten Hag said: "Yes, and you know Harry Kane will get you 30 goals. I think Rasmus will get there, but he needs time. It's not fair to assess him the same as Harry Kane. I would never compare two players because they are very different.

"But with Hojlund, I think we had the biggest potential in the striker position last summer and we are very happy with him. But he also needs time to adapt and we are very pleased he showed his assets in scoring goals.

"He had a very good period where he scored many games after he showed it, but before and after, he had some physical issues, which is normal for a young player coming up. But it has a negative impact on the team result and that's what you have to accept.

"Then you go back to the fans and the opinion makers, and they don't understand or they don't want to understand this. It is how Man United gets judged, they only see the result, but we need time.

"You have to accept the process is going slower and you can't then expect to straight [away] compete for titles in the Champions League and Premier League."

Man United are expected to move for another striker this summer to provide support for Hojlund, as Anthony Martial will be leaving on a free transfer at the end of June.