30

Manager Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge of Manchester United has not gone according to plan with the Dutchman pointing to the numerous injuries as a reason for the abysmal show.

But the Dutchman’s style of play this season and his transfers in general have also let his team down. He decided to play a high-transition style which does not suit many of his players.

As for recruitment, the signings of Antony, Casemiro, Sofyan Amrabat have been criticised a lot and only Lisandro Martinez’s signing can be termed as a winner.

His penchant for signing former Eredivisie products has also come under the scanner while going after players with links to SEG Agency has not been viewed kindly by many.

EtH’s poor transfer record

The club have backed the former Ajax manager with the Red Devils spending £410 million on 16 new players but with INEOS now on board, things are set to change.

The Red Devils have been poor with their dealings ever since the Glazers’ leveraged buyout and while the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson steered the club clear of trouble, his retirement meant chaos ensued.

The Dutch league is not expected to remain a focus as Sir Jim Ratcliffe eyes young players with Premier League experience.

The club have spent huge money on mercenaries and the approach has not worked and to get things right, INEOS are prioritising getting the structure behind-the-scenes right.

A new CEO, Omar Berrada is coming from Manchester City followed by Dan Ashworth as sporting director from Newcastle United. Then there are plans to recruit a head of recruitment and a technical director.

Once everyone is on board, the transfer focus will be set but as has been reported previously, Ten Hag will no longer have the same say.

If he does remain, he will be tasked with leading the team but as per The Daily Star, Ten Hag is not too enthused with the idea and wants his say on transfers to remain.

If INEOS snatch away that power, he is even ready to walk away in the summer. Sir Jim is looking at numerous targets as a potential replacement.

EtH ready to quit

“Erik ten Hag could consider his own Manchester United future if Sir Jim Ratcliffe decides he wants a coach to lead the team into next season.

“But it has emerged Ten Hag could decide to step aside if he is not prepared to change his role from that of a manager to coach.

“This would see his role diluted, with Ratcliffe keen to allow others to lead the club’s recruitment of players moving forward. The Dutchman is planning talks with Ratcliffe once the current campaign has finished.”

The manager should always has a voice related to transfers but if an effective system is in place, the manager can safely focus on his job as he will have the confidence that the recruitment department will get things right.

For now, the United manager should be more concerned about his team’s displays on the pitch rather than matters off it. If United fail to qualify for the Champions League and do not win the FA Cup, the Dutchman’s reign could very well end.

Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.