Before the summer transfer market closes in a few weeks, Erik ten Hag plans to bolster his Manchester United team with one or two more players.

Although there is still a need for another defender, particularly if Harry Maguire leaves in the coming days, Ten Hag might also be persuaded to recruit a midfielder in addition to Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, and Mason Mount.

An alleged relationship between the Red Devils and a Premier League player suggests that they are prepared to take the next step towards signing him.

This summer, who does Man United want to sign?

The Guardian reports that United appear prepared to contact Everton on a potential trade for Amadou Onana.

The Merseyside club was unwilling to sell the Belgian this summer, so he only joined the Toffees from French club Lille last year.

According to the article, Sean Dyche would only consider offers of more than £50 million, and Everton is not under any obligation to sell one of their treasured possessions so soon after joining the Premier League.

Who has played for Man United and Everton simultaneously?

Over the past 20 years, United have had varying degrees of success when acquiring players from Everton.

Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini, for example, didn’t quite live up to expectations while playing for Manchester United, but Wayne Rooney was perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson’s best acquisition.

Rooney, who had excelled for England at the 2004 European Championships, joined the Red Devils at the age of just 18; nevertheless, it was his breakthrough at Everton that persuaded Ferguson to make the move prior to the 2004–05 season.

A first-game hat trick set the tone for a 13-year period filled with success at Old Trafford during which time he scored 253 goals. Ten Hag might be able to replicate United’s Rooney feat if he can persuade Onana that moving down the M62 would be ideal for his development.

The 21-year-old was one of Everton’s few shining lights during a truly dreadful season that almost resulted in their relegation, and he showed off his superb defensive skills from the centre of the midfield.

He finished in the top five for interceptions (1.1), was third on the team for tackles made per game (2.2), and lost possession just 7.7 times a game, which was one of the lowest averages on the team.

The Belgian, described as a “tenacious tackler” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could undoubtedly provide the United midfield that additional bit of bite to make them more threatening.

This praise from Kulig is clearly supported by winning 4.2 ground duels overall, with a success rate of 59%. Although it may cost more than £50 million, it would be a prudent investment for the following season as well as the next five to ten years.

Rooney was under excessive pressure to perform upon joining Old Trafford, and he more than paid back the club’s investment.

Even though Onana has very different traits from the previous forward, his arrival in Manchester will nonetheless allow him to make a similar impression.