Ajax midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is reportedly a transfer target for Manchester United.
Bringing in Erik ten Hag as manager may help lure the Dutchman to Old Trafford but United already look behind in the race.
Fabrizio Romano has tweeted that Bayern Munich want to tie up a deal for the promising playmaker as soon as they possibly can.
They are already in advanced negotiations and it is up to the two clubs to complete the agreement.
United paying price for managerial uncertainty
United cannot press ahead with transfer business in any kind of serious way until they know who the manager will be.
Top players and prospects will not sign for a club when they do not know who their boss will be, and therefore how they will fit into the tactical system and how often they would play.
If United had ten Hag signed, sealed and delivered by now, the work to bring Gravenberch with him could have started in earnest.
But we’re behind the curve as Europe’s big clubs look to get their transfer business in order and we do not know who the manager is going to be.
United have already interviewed ten Hag, Mauricio Pochettino and an unnamed candidate for the managerial position and are plotting another round of talks.
The club clearly want to take their time and get this big call right but there is a line between precision and dithering.
The lack of certainty over the first choice candidate is not going to make any of the managers in the running feel especially valued or sought-after.
And for as long as the long-term managerial situation is unclear, United cannot seriously enter the race for targets and that looks to be costing them over Gravenberch.
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