Erik ten Hag’s imminent appointment at Manchester United will not necessarily prompt a major overhaul of the squad, with the current Ajax boss embarking on a five-year plan at Old Trafford.
As part of a package which will persuade him to leave the Eredivisie, however, it is expected that he will be offered significant funds for new signings this summer.
As i reported on Wednesday, Ten Hag has already begun background work as he prepares to replace interim manager Ralf Rangnick, with West Ham’s Declan Rice and Benfica’s Darwin Nunez identified as transfer targets.
The proverbial war chest has not exactly aided his predecessors, but he will have a more balanced team working alongside him to identify potential additions, with Darren Fletcher appointed director of football and Richard Arnold taking over from Ed Woodward at the end of the season.
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Transfer targets
Rice is an obvious upgrade on the existing central midfield options, likely to come in for either Scott McTominay or Fred. That might not lend itself to the most exhilarating pairing but it has worked for England when he has been paired with Kalvin Phillips and Rice has been the standout performer at West Ham since David Moyes’ arrival. What may put United off is a reported £150m price tag, particularly were they to suffer a financial hit from failing to make the top four.
Nunez, meanwhile, impressed Ten Hag over two legs as Benfica knocked Ajax out of the Champions League, the 22-year-old scoring the decisive goal in the second leg. United’s recruitment has been forward-heavy with the addition of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, but they have still been left short in recent weeks when both Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani have been injured. One option, should Ten Hag wish for another option to compete with an out-of-form Marcus Rashford, is Anthony Elanga, so it is unlikely to be a priority.
Instead, Ten Hag could return to Ajax for centre-back Jurrien Timber, whose emergence has ensured the departure of Matthijs De Ligt in 2019 has not been felt too harshly. Indeed it is that kind of rebuilding and bringing through players from the academy that has made Ten Hag so appealing to United.
The Telegraph have also suggested that Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Aston Villa’s John McGinn could be sounded out, while The Sun report that Ten Hag will make the signing of Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves a priority.
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Winners
Harry Maguire – Ten Hag does have a track record improving ball-playing centre-backs, as shown with Daley Blind, another player who struggled at United. It’s with good reason that Maguire performs better for his country than his club, benefiting not only from the pace of international football but also a system which is not so dependent on his weaker points of positioning.
Marcus Rashford – Rashford will benefit from a summer off, the impact of shoulder surgery having effectively written off this season. There are longer-term questions over his use on the left, but Ten Hag has transformed Dusan Tadic, who has become one of the Netherlands’ most prolific goalscorers and also played a key role in the rise of wide man Hakim Ziyech.
Donny van de Beek – Ten Hag has reportedly been left baffled as to why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was never sold on Van de Beek. Now on loan at Everton, and still failing to impress, the midfielder’s game does depend on rhythm, something which could return with a run of games and the confidence of a former manager.
Losers
Cristiano Ronaldo – As it stands, it’s unclear whether United will offer Ronaldo a contract extension with his current deal expiring in 2023. Ronaldo has continually papered over the deep cracks at United, first under Solskjaer, then under Rangnick. Whatever his return says about Woodward’s misguided recruitment, he would be an unlikely fit for Ten Hag long-term, slowing United down and handing him a challenge with which he has not yet had to deal: galactico management.
Paul Pogba – See also Pogba, whose career at Old Trafford second time around has largely been wasted and inevitably, there is no real appetite from either party for it to be extended. May never even cross paths with the new boss.
Victor Lindelof – United are less willing to cut their losses on Maguire due to his £80m price tag – he also ticks another box due to his homegrown status, which Lindelof does not have – but Timber’s arrival would push the Swedish international further down the pecking order behind Raphael Varane, whose injuries have hindered him since joining from Real Madrid.
Man Utd’s potential XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Timber, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Rice, Fernandes, Nunez, Sancho, Ronaldo
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