Austria manager and former Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick is said to have been left ‘baffled’ by his former club’s pursuit of Marko Arnautovic last month.
The Red Devils tried to bring in another forward over the summer, and shortly prior to their season-opening loss at home to Brighton, they were first linked with an approach for the Austrian striker.
After losing 2-1 in embarrassing fashion to the Seagulls, United fans were left even more perplexed by the club’s interest in a player like Arnautovic, and it turns out they weren’t the only ones.
Rangnick recommended that United sign ten new players this summer during one of his many headline-making press conferences while interim boss last season, and The Athletic report that he was confused by the hierarchy identifying that profile of player.
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It’s added that Rangnick’s successor Erik ten Hag, who worked with Arnautovic at FC Twente, saw a ‘streak’ as a ‘nasty bastard’ in him that he believed was missing in the United dressing room.
Rangnick was set to stay at United in an advisory role, but left the club at the end of last season following talks with Ten Hag.
After fans emailed CEO Richard Arnold en masse to protest the pursuit of Arnautovic, United had an internal re-think and eventually withdrew their interest in the 33-year-old.
Ten Hag would go on to bring in defensive midfielder Casemiro and winger Antony on permanent deals as well as goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on loan ahead of the transfer deadline.
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