Erik ten Hag ‘has identified a core of eight players he can trust at Man United’ and ‘will look for three signings’ to start off his reign… including a centre-back to make Harry Maguire more comfortable
- Erik ten Hag will soon take over as the new manager of Manchester United
- He has reportedly already been surveying the squad that he will inherit
- Ten Hag apparently wants to help Harry Maguire back to his best form
Incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has reportedly identified a core group of eight players he can trust when he takes the reigns at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag will leave Dutch giants Ajax for United at the end of the season and faces a mammoth rebuilding task in returning the club to their former glories.
The Telegraph reports that Ten Hag also wants to sign a left-sided centre-back to make Harry Maguire more comfortable and to help the centre-back recapture his England form for United.
Erik ten Hag has reportedly identified a core group of eight players he can trust at Man United
Ten Hag is also said to be keen to help Harry Maguire recapture the form he shows for England
Maguire is currently injured and might not play again for United this season, but has endured a torrid campaign so far.
The publication also reports that Ten Hag is analysing Marcus Rashford and considering whether he can resurrect his United career. Rashford has struggled for game time under Rangnick and has seen his role reduced to that of a substitute.
Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, a £50m signing from Crystal Palace in 2019, is another player whose position is being reviewed by Ten Hag.
It promises to be a summer of upheaval at Old Trafford with a string of first team players out of contract in the summer, including Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick reportedly believes United need as many as 10 new players in the upcoming transfer window, including two new strikers.
But Rangnick revealed after Monday’s 3-0 over Brentford that he expects Cristiano Ronaldo to remain at Old Trafford for next seaosn.
The German was asked if Ronaldo’s lap of honour was a ‘wave of goodbye’ after the Brentford tie was their last home game of the season.
‘I don’t think why it should be a wave of goodbye,’ Rangnick told Stadium Astro. ‘He’s got another year of contract and as far as I know he will be here next season again.’
Rangnick then opened up a little more to Sky Sports about how he thinks United should recruit in the summer.
‘There should be two or three new strikers next season, it’s pretty obvious,’ he said.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at United has been questioned amid the managerial changes
Ralf Rangnick still expects United to add two or three new strikers to their ranks this summer
‘Knowing Erik will be the manager, with a good recruitment process and bringing in the right players, I’m very positive the supporters and the media will be able to see a better team and, at the end, hopefully a better position in the league.
‘There are quite a few good examples in the league with when Jurgen Klopp came to Liverpool, Pep Guardiola to Manchester City, Thomas Tuchel came to Chelsea – yes, he came in the middle of the season and inherited a top-quality squad, but you still need to win the Champions League.
‘If you know what you’re looking for, the profiles of the different positions you need, it shouldn’t hopefully take too long.’
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