Ten Hag insists the best players in the world want to play for Manchester United

Manchester United's Dutch manager Erik ten Hag smiles as he leaves after the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 4, 2022. - Man Utd won the game 3-1. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Erik ten Hag believes the best players in the world want to play for Manchester United.

In the new documentary Haaland – The Big Decision, the new Manchester City striker mentions a list of clubs as possible destinations, ahead of his exit from Borussia Dortmund. The Norwegian goalscorer made his move to the Etihad in the summer after the transfer became one of the worst kept secrets in football.

However, Manchester United were not included in that list. It contained City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barcelona.

Reporters took it upon themselves at Friday’s press conference to ask Ten Hag about United, the club, and whether it is still attractive to football’s best players. It seems ridiculous that this is even a topic of conversation after seeing United sign Casemiro – but the newspapers won’t print themselves…

“I’m sure when I go back in the window and I was in contact with a lot of players, a lot of players, you feel Man United is a really attractive club for them. So I’m not concerned about that point,” Ten Hag said, as per Manchester Evening News.

“Let’s say some have the potential to become [the best in the world] and some already are there. We have world champion players in our squad, so they are the best in the world, you can say that.

“We have a lot of players who already win the biggest titles in the world.”

These quotes will inevitably lead to sarcastic questions about Frenkie de Jong across social media, but Ten Hag raises a good point when you consider how Raphael Varane joined United from Real Madrid over a year ago.

Excitement is building ahead of tomorrow’s Manchester derby. It will be a first for Ten Hag and he will be looking forward to going head-to-head with Pep Guardiola after working with him at Bayern Munich.

United fans will hope he can provide a bit of a shock by beating City away from home, but we will need to be at our very best to get all three points.

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