With every passing week, it seems the already lengthy to-do list facing Erik ten Hag when he eventually takes over from interim boss Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United at the end of the season is only getting longer and longer.
Back-to-back heavy defeats away to their ‘Big Six’ rivals Liverpool (4-0) and Arsenal (3-1) mean the Red Devils now look out of contention for a place in the top four, which will be a huge blow when trying to attract players to Old Trafford this summer, while the Dutchman also has a lot of deadwood to ship in a massive clear-out.
It certainly will be a massive test of ten Hag’s ability. The 52-year-old was the frontrunner for the job with sites like Betdaq well before he was officially announced last week, but he has barely stepped foot outside of the Netherlands thus far in his 10-year managerial career and this will be a huge step up — even from a club with the stature of Ajax.
He will have a lot on his plate, and it will not be easy. But this is the perfect opportunity for Ten Hag to show the rest of Europe why he is so highly rated in the continent. Let’s take a look at some of the ways the 52-year-old can do just that. Read on to find out more!
Win over the doubters
As already mentioned, the appointment of Ten Hag was no real surprise — unless you’re Mauricio Pochettino, who was reportedly shocked by the announcement. The reality is that the Dutchman had been linked with the job for a long time and it was only a matter of time before the deal was done.
However, not all Manchester United fans will be convinced. Indeed, Ten Hag famously guided Ajax to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019 and has won two Eredivisie titles, but his experience outside of Holland is minimal — with a brief stint in charge of Bayern Munich II.
Pochettino is a manager with Premier League experience in abundance, and he was, of course, the man who ended Ajax’s run in Europe’s premier competition three years ago — guiding Tottenham Hotspur to their first Champions League final in the process.
The Argentine is unsettled at Paris Saint-Germain and is likely to leave this summer, which will frustrate certain sections of the United fanbase. Alongside the doubts of if he can handle the Premier League, that’s added weight on Ten Hag’s shoulders and he’ll be keen to shrug it off by proving all those sceptics wrong.
Oversee an overhaul
Before the Dutchman even has the chance to prove his doubters wrong by getting results on the pitch, he has a lot of work to do off it. It’s going to be a very busy summer at Carrington — with up to 10 players expected to leave United, while Rangnick recently claimed that around 10 players could also arrive in the northwest.
Ousting the likes of Phil Jones, Antony Martial, Eric Bailey and the other players on the Old Trafford books that offer so little to the club is one way he could win over the Red Devils’ supporters though, but there will be big holes to fill in the squad in their absence — it’s no wonder 10 players could arrive, as they lack real quality in every position.
But Ten Hag must ensure that he gets the recruitment side right, as well. The likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire showed a lot of promise, but they have largely failed to live up to expectations.
In fact, over £1bn has been spent on transfers since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, and United have almost nothing to show for it aside from a Europa League title and a League Cup victory.
Almost £200m has been splashed on central defenders since 2016, yet it is arguably their weakest area of the pitch. At least one new centre-back will be needed again this summer, while a defensive midfielder is a must with Nemanja Matić and Paul Pogba both set to leave.
Finally, Ten Hag will also need a world-class striker. Erling Haaland is out of the question as he looks to have agreed a deal with Manchester City. However, they could leave the door open for United to swoop in for Harry Kane, which would a massive addition to the side!
