ERIK TEN HAG has been slammed for failing to sign Tottenham star Micky van de Ven by Paul Merson.
The centre-back has hit the ground running for Spurs since joining for £43million in the summer.
Meanwhile United have leaked goals and suffered from an injury crisis at the back, with Erik ten Hag relying on summer signing Johnny Evans in recent games.
Merson believes he should have been aware of Van de Ven given they are compatriots, suggesting the 22-year-old is one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.
The pundit said on Sky Sports: “I would be asking questions. If I owned the club. I would be sitting there now and I would be going to you as the manager ‘Why didn’t we get the lad at Tottenham?
“He’s Dutch. You are Dutch. You know the league. You know the players. Why is he at Tottenham and he isn’t here? And we haven’t got a centre-half'.
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“No disrespect to Evans. But you are playing a 30-odd-year-old next to Maguire. Varane can’t get fit. Lindelof, I don’t think is a real centre-half, if I am being totally honest.
“Then you are looking at this player (Van de Ven), who is one of the best centre-halves in the league, at the moment. And he isn’t playing for United. He wasn’t £80-90million. Serious questions.”
United are believed to be keen on strengthening their defence in the summer and signing a centre-back is high on their agenda.
Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo is understood to be at the top of their wishlist along with Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba.
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The Red Devils are also said to be interested in Galatasary right-back Sacha Boey following his impressive performances in the Champions League.
Arsenal and Newcastle have also been linked to the £17.5m-rated defender.
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