Erik ten Hag did his best to feign ignorance, but the laughter in his voice rather gave the game away. So why couldn’t he convince Frenkie de Jong to sign for Manchester United last summer?
‘I don’t know that we wanted him,’ replied Ten Hag with a little chuckle.
What he said next revealed exactly why Ten Hag and United wanted him — and why it’s quite possible that they could have another go at signing De Jong this summer.
‘Frenkie is an incredible player,’ said Ten Hag. ‘He would strengthen every club in the world because he has a unique quality.