Manchester United transfer rebuild depends on 15 cup finals, says Erik ten Hag

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Erik ten Hag admits he doesn't know how significant the impact will be on his transfer budget if Manchester United fail to qualify for next season's Champions League, but said the club will have more "financial power" if they do secure a return to the top table of European football.

United crashed out of Europe entirely before Christmas this season and face an uphill battle to secure a second successive season of Champions League football, with Sunday's trip to Villa Park pivotal in their fight to get back in the race for a top-four finish.

Fifth could yet be good enough for Champions League football if the Premier League finishes the season as one of the two top-performing leagues in Europe, but Ten Hag's side are six points behind Tottenham, who currently sit fifth, and eight points adrift of Aston Villa in fourth. ALSO READ: Erik ten Hag might miss second chance to complete dream United transfer ALSO READ: Turnstiles to Taylor Swift - Why 'Wembley of the North' is vital for United A run of 10 points from a possible 15 in the Premier League has put United back in the battle, but qualifying for the Champions League is no longer imperative solely for the prestige, but for the revenue it delivers as well at a time when clubs are struggling with the Premier League's stringent Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR).

United are particularly close to the limit of losses allowed by the league over three years and their failure to stay in Europe into the New Year this season pushed them closer to the precipice, with Ten Hag enduring his own dry January in the transfer market as a result.