Manchester United could see their chances of landing Alphonso Davies on a free transfer wrecked by their head coach Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils have reportedly opened talks with the Bayern Munich star's representatives to discuss an audacious switch to Old Trafford.
Sky Germany report that the 23-year-old is set to leave the Allianz Arena after five years with the Bundesliga giants. He has rejected several contract offers from the Bavarian giants and there are not any negotiations between the two parties.
That could open the door to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, INEOS chief and United's head of football operations, to force through a quick deal to snatch the Canada international from under Real Madrid's noses.
Related articles
However, bringing Davies to Manchester may be the last thing Ten Hag wants, as he faces the prospect of an extremely awkward reunion if his club are successful in brokering the move.
Ten Hag, 54, made a brutal assessment of the explosive left-back when United faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League during the 2023-24 season. In particular, it appeared he was unimpressed with his defensive abilities and made a remark that simply needs no interpretation.
When he was asked about the daunting prospect of pitting then-United winger Facundo Pellistri against Davies, Ten Hag bluntly replied: “Davies isn’t a good defender. Pellistri can match Davies with his dribbling.”
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Forget the fact that his own future is already in doubt, it hardly bodes well for Ten Hag that a player he dismissed just over a year ago is now being brought in to resolve his issues at left-back.
The other issue for the Dutchman is that INEOS clearly disagree, having done their due diligence in evaluating Davies' performance metrics in recent weeks. They clearly see the former Vancouver Whitecaps trainee as a bargain signing if he is available on a free transfer.
The full-back's contract is due to expire in June 2025, meaning he can speak to clubs outside of Germany regarding a pre-contract agreement as early as January 1.
It was thought that Real Madrid had all but convinced Davies to run down his contract and head to the Santiago Bernabeu next summer. But United's pursuit may well throw a spanner in the works.
If Ten Hag sticks to his guns and attempts to veto the transfer, it could lead to soured relations with his superiors. Given that his current options are Lisandro Martinez and injured pair Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw, he could do a lot worse than adding Champions League winner Davies to his squad.
But if Davies does arrive at Old Trafford - either next summer or prior to that - the United boss may need to prepare a grovelling apology in an attempt to smooth things over between them.
