Erik ten Hag thwarts Manchester United's attempts to offload two players on transfer deadline day

Reports suggest that Erik ten Hag, the head coach of Manchester United, prevented two players from leaving Old Trafford on transfer deadline day.

United’s hierarchy were busy working on a number of deals on deadline day, finally unveiling new signing Manuel Ugarte while selling Scott McTominay.

Ugarte arrived in a £50.5m move from Paris Saint-Germain while academy graduate McTominay was sold to Napoli for £25m.

Manchester United could have been involved in more deadline-day deals but Ten Hag quickly blocked the club from offloading Antony and Christian Eriksen.

According to the Daily Mail, La Liga side Real Betis approached United with loan offers for the duo but were soon told there was no chance either would be permitted to leave.

Antony has endured a dismal spell at Old Trafford since his £82m move from Ajax in 2022 and was said to be put up for sale earlier in the summer.

But a loan move made little sense for Manchester United, who also decided not to offload Eriksen despite his reduced role at the Theatre of Dreams.

Antony, 24, failed to get any minutes in Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Fulham before coming on as a late substitute in last weekend’s defeat to Brighton.

Despite only being on the Amex pitch for a few minutes, Antony was criticised for his role in Brighton’s injury-time winner and Joe Cole said after the game that United ‘probably’ want to sell him.

Eriksen is yet to feature for Manchester United this season and will fall further down the pecking order following Ugarte’s arrival from the French capital.

Ugarte signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford after becoming Manchester United’s fifth summer signing.

Ready to represent.

A new chapter is about to begin. #MUFC @ManUtd ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JtYIyjUedf

‘It is an incredible feeling to join a club of this magnitude; one that is admired all around the world’ he said.

‘Manchester United is an ambitious club and I am an ambitious player. I know how incredible United fans are and I cannot wait to experience Old Trafford.

‘I’m someone who is so determined to succeed; I will sacrifice and give everything for my team-mates. Together we will fight to win trophies and reach the level where this club needs to be.’

One player Ten Hag did allow leave was McTominay, despite claiming at a press conference on Friday that he had mixed feelings over his departure.

McTominay, who will be joined at Napoli by Scotland team-mate Billy Gilmour, said he would have ‘snapped your hand off’ for the career he enjoyed at his boyhood club United.

‘I’ve absolutely loved it and I’m very, very grateful for the football club and I’m ready for a new challenge and I’m ready to go and embrace it and take it by storm,’ he said.

‘I want to see Manchester United win, I want to see us do really, really well and I’ll be watching as well. Thank you for having me and I have enjoyed every minute.’

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