Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has called on his club to back him in the transfer market this summer.

The Dutchman guided United to a third place finish with a 2-1 win over Fulham at Old Trafford in their final Premier League game of the season on Sunday.

But Ten Hag has warned the United hierarchy if they want to finish higher next season and mount a genuine title challenge they must invest in several new players.

“The club knows if you want to play top four and compete for trophies in this tough league then you have to invest otherwise you don’t have a chance because other clubs will do,” said Ten Hag.

“We’ve seen it in the winter. All the clubs around us made huge investments and we didn't. But still we made it, so I’m proud of my team.”

This was a pointed criticism of United’s business in the January transfer window this year when they were one of only five clubs not to spend any money.

It was at a moment when United were flirting with a title challenge after having beaten the eventual champions Manchester City 2-1 at Old Trafford, but while all their rivals vying for a top four place made permanent signings, United did not.

Instead United made three loan signings, the Dutch striker Wout Weghorst from Burnley, who would score just two goals in 30 appearances in all competitions, and none in 17 games in the Premier League; the Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich, who before he sustained a season-ending injury proved to be a solid performer, and a back-up goalkeeper Jack Butland from Crystal Palace.

“We are in the right direction, but we are not there where we have to be. There’s still a long way to go. There’s potential in this team and in individual players.”

“We showed during the season we made progress. That’s a compliment to the players and the coaches. We worked really hard, but we have to make an investment.”

Ten Hag was supported by United in last year’s summer transfer window when he spent £225 million on five new players: Casemiro, Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia.

The United manager wants to see a repeat of this level of investment this year, and the club have already been linked with Tottenham’s Harry Kane, Chelsea’s Mason Mount and West Ham’s Declan Rice.

Ten Hag also provided an update on his goalkeeper David De Gea’s future after the game against Fulham on Sunday, which saw him save a penalty.

The club are currently in discussions with the Spanish goalkeeper about extending his contract at Old Trafford.

‘I have to repeat, last game, last week, every time: we want him to stay, he wants to stay, we will find each other,” Ten Hag said.