According to transfer expert Dean Jones, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag may be in control of the Red Devils' probable summer acquisition of Ajax center-back Jurrien Timber.
The Old Trafford team wants to improve their back-up alternatives during the forthcoming transfer window.
Timber reportedly acknowledged to De Telegraaf that a departure from Ajax is getting closer by the day.
The versatile defender apparently has a contract with the Eredivisie giants, who valued him at £36 million last summer after Manchester United expressed interest.
“A transfer is getting closer and closer, so to speak. There is a lot of concrete interest, and I have made agreements with Ajax,” Timber told the Dutch media outlet.
“Last year, Ajax asked me to stay for at least one more season and to extend my contract. As a club boy, I did that with love, and after the season, we agreed to review the situation.”
Jones suggested to GIVEMESPORT in January that Timber might be signed by United this summer to replace Harry Maguire or Victor Lindelof.
The journalist has also been told that the £65,000 per week earner is planning to leave the Amsterdam team in the upcoming transfer window.
"Timber is only 21, and he's ambitious. From what I've heard, his mindset is that a transfer this summer is something that he’d like to accelerate," Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT
“He’s shown loyalty to Ajax; any decision to leave would be emotionally hard. But he has big plans in the game, and five or six clubs have looked at him.
“He’ll look to leave Ajax amicably. That's the way things work there."
“When the time comes, I think it's likely that ten Hag already has a handle on the situation and how he would address it.”
Virgil van Dijk, a teammate of Timber's from Liverpool and the Netherlands, expressed his enthusiasm for Timber's professional development when compared to his own.
“I wasn’t nearly as far along as he is now [at the same age],” Van Dijk said of Timber (via The Metro)."
“I have nothing but praise for him. He is a great player and a true professional."
“He has so much potential. Hopefully, he can develop further. Then it will be all right, I think.”
That is undoubtedly a glowing endorsement from one of the best center backs in the world today.
And as Timber looks to secure a move to the Premier League this summer, he will be hoping that he can match the standards van Dijk has set for himself throughout his career.
Meanwhile, As the takeover saga continues, Erik ten Hag is unaware of Manchester United's summer spending power.
The board of the Old Trafford giants revealed in November that it was considering a full sale as one option for investigating strategic alternatives to boost the club's growth.
Sheikh Jassim and Jim Ratcliffe both submitted proposals on Friday, the third and likely final deadline for parties to make offers to purchase the club.
The Glazer family must now determine how to move forward, which poses a risk to the advancements accomplished during Ten Hag's first season in command.
United is on track to finish in the top four and has a chance to add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup. But even the manager is unsure of the funding for improvements.
Ten Hag responded when asked if he has been assured that he has the resources to spend this summer as he pleases, regardless of how the takeover process turns out.
"No, I don't have. I don't have influence on that, I don't have... also I don't know."
"The only thing what I know is that Man United is one of the biggest clubs and I think it's among maybe (the) two biggest clubs in the world from a fanbase perspective."
"So, I think this club has to compete for the highest in the world, so Champions League, Premier League."
"But in football you need funds to construct squads because in the end of the day the level from your players makes if you are successful or not."
Ten Hag says "everyone knows you need funds to construct a squad" and that "high level players cost a lot of money" in elite football.
"I, we see this as a project," the United boss said. "In a project also it belongs that you are in windows, that you strengthen your squad needs or to make refreshments, so that you get more balance, definitely, and you bring young players in.
"But I think we already have shown and proved that we can beat the best teams in the world, so, yeah, I think we can compete in the Champions League.
"But at the end of the day we want to be in the winter also in the Champions League and we want to compete, and knock them all out, so then we have a way to go."
After defeating Aston Villa 1-0 against the backdrop of protests against the Glazers on Sunday, United is getting ready to play Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday.
After the game at Old Trafford, Ten Hag was seen picking up a green and gold scarf as he made his way down the tunnel and holding it up before tossing it back to the crowd.
When questioned if it was a show of support for the fans, the United manager responded: "No, it was just polite. But I know what's going around, what the symbol of it is, but this matter was just polite."
At this point in the season, Ten Hag has, sensibly, refrained from openly criticizing his bosses, but it is clear that he is eager for information regarding the club's future.
Ten Hag responded when asked how crucial it is to conclude the acquisition procedure as quickly as possible.
Asked how important it is to get the takeover process resolved as soon as possible, Ten Hag said: "Yeah, I think it's clear what I want but it's not up to me.
"It's about others in this club, finally there are the owners and they make the decisions, so it's not up to me.
"So, I do everything I can and I influence the processes I'm in charge of."
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