Manchester United's boss Erik Ten Hag has cautioned the Red Devils that they must keep up their spending if they want to keep their position in the top four in the Premier League.
Since moving from Ajax in the summer of 2022, the Dutchman has guided the 20-time English champions back into the Champions League at the first attempt.
The Red Devils defeated Chelsea 4-1 in the middle of the week, guaranteeing them a top-four finish. On the last day, they defeated Fulham 2-1 at Old Trafford to secure third place.
Ten Hag quickly shaped the team into his own image after moving to Manchester and oversaw the expensive signings of Antony, Casemiro, and Lisandro Martinez.
Additionally, Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia entered for nominal fees, while Marcel Sabitzer, Wout Weghorst, and Jack Butland also joined on loan in January.
Man United are anticipated to be very active in the transfer market despite their success under Ten Hag this season, which also includes winning their first trophy in six years.
The Red Devils' top priority is reportedly a new center-forward, however a midfielder, right-back, center-back, and goalkeeper may also be in the works depending on summer departures.
After Sunday's victory over Fulham, Ten Hag told the media that United must use their cash reserves to keep bolstering the team lest they risk falling behind their rivals in the battle for the top four spots.
"The club knows that if you want to play top four, if you want to compete for trophies in this tough league, you have to invest, otherwise you won't progress because other clubs will," Ten Hag said.
"We saw it in the winter. All the clubs around us invested. We didn't and still we made it. So I am really happy and proud of my team."
However, due to the ownership dispute between Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, Man United's summer transfer business is currently clouded in doubt.
The takeover process is taking its time as there are rumors that the Glazers' £6 billion value will not be met and there may be disagreements within the family about whether to make a full sale or merely seek out minority participation.
Whatever the case, Man United are reportedly trying to recruit a high-priced striker to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, with Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur still being strongly linked with a transfer.
However, the England captain still has one year left on his contract with Tottenham, and the Red Devils are reportedly reluctant to get embroiled in a protracted transfer saga.
Since Weghorst and Anthony Martial have both struggled to consistently score goals this season, Marcus Rashford has taken the lion's share of the scoring duties with 30 goals across all competitions. According to Ten Hag, the Englishman is capable of scoring 40 goals.
Harry Maguire, who made just his eighth league start on the final day of the season, acknowledged that he would want to play more for Manchester United.
On the last day, Erik ten Hag said he would field a strong team to face Fulham. Despite making six changes, the club was still able to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes.
Kenny Tete's corner kick in the 19th minute gave Fulham the lead, but the players recovered strongly to eventually win the game and secure three points and a third-place finish in the Premier League standings.
Maguire gave a post-game interview to discuss the exciting campaign. The captain praised the advancements achieved and answered questions about his diminished engagement.
Speaking to MUTV, Maguire said he would like to play more and stressed the value of competition for positions.
"The season is not finished yet, but up to now, it's been a positive season from where we were and I must say we're making progress. It's been a big improvement and it's a step in the right direction," Maguire said.
"Securing Champions League football, it's a brilliant season in the Premier League, especially at Old Trafford. It's been an amazing season at Old Trafford and obviously, our away form is something we've got to improve on."
"If we do so, we'll progress again next season. We've made giant steps and I think that's important. We've worked on the philosophy the manager is trying to bring in and I think of course, over pre-season, we'll work again and push ourselves."
"We'll set high demands and we've got to look at this season and what we've done. For me, I think it's been great from the boys and there have been lots of individual, amazing performances but it's not done yet."
"Yeah of course [asking if he would like to start more]. Listen, we have a lot of competition for places and that's what a big club needs. Lots of strength in depth. I think you've seen today, after 20 minutes, it was a really positive performance."
"[We had] lads who stepped in, lads who haven't played as much and I think the manager and his staff can rely upon us and know that, if he makes changes, we can do the job, so it's good to be part of this squad."
"I think if we're going to be successful this season and next season and the season after, we're going to need a big squad."
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