As Manchester United’s new coach, Louis van Gaal is expected to bring in a massive squad overhaul to his team, but a major question mark remains over the attacking options. With a number of youngsters snubbing the opportunities to play in the attacking third, Cristiano Ronaldo is now the only attacking option. While he knows of the plans for the coming season, the Portuguese winger wants to know just how much trust Louis van Gaal has in him and his abilities.
Erik ten Hag gives Cristiano Ronaldo update on future at Manchester United
The new manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, has broken his silence on the transfer speculation surrounding his star player, Cristiano Ronaldo. The rumours about the Portuguese international’s future are growing after he failed to travel on the club’s pre-season tour. Despite the absence of the Portuguese superstar from the squad, ten Hag insists the club’s commitment to Ronaldo will remain unchanged. The new manager has also revealed that Cristiano has not spoken to the new manager yet.
The Portuguese forward has not been on the Manchester United pre-season tour in Australia. He has not been in the team due to a medical, and it’s not clear whether he’ll be in the squad. Despite the speculation, the manager has insisted that Ronaldo remains part of his plans for next season. Ten Hag also revealed that he’s not concerned about Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at the club, but rather about the players. “I’m more focused on the future of the club, not on Cristiano’s future, and I’m unable to comment on that,” he added.
The former Real Madrid winger has also been linked with a move to the Bundesliga. His representatives have been holding talks with several clubs, but have made no progress. It’s likely that the Portuguese will insist on a move to a club if he wants to stay at Manchester United. However, despite the recent reports that he is unhappy at Manchester United, the club has stated that he’s not for sale. With that in mind, he may just find himself relegated to the bench, which would hardly be a bad thing.
Coach says he wants to give youngsters a chance to shine
The new Manchester United manager has vowed to give young players the chance to shine in the Premier League. He is also keen on bringing in more youth players, a message that will delight the club’s fans. The young stars of the United Academy will be given more playing time under Ten Hag, who has a reputation for paying attention to detail.
The Dutchman has a list of targets for the club and has included Frenkie de Jong among them. The Dutch midfielder has been named in Barcelona’s pre-season tour of the USA, and is believed to be one of Ten Hag’s main targets. He has also already signed Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia, but still has room for more.
While it is true that Ten Hag hasn’t had much experience at elite clubs, his portfolio of work is intriguing. His style of attacking football – as seen at Ajax – ties in perfectly with the club’s philosophy. Ten Hag has also shown a commitment to developing young talent, which is reflected in the fact that his time as an assistant at Twente benefited United’s young players.
A good example of Ten Hag’s commitment to developing young talent is his desire to bring in more youth, with his team-mates looking for more youngsters. With these young players coming through, he may well decide to drop a few of his top names to make room for the youngsters. Young players like James Garner and Anthony Elanga could find their way into the first team.
He will remain captain of Man Utd
The Manchester United manager has made a surprise decision to keep Harry Maguire as the club captain. The midfielder was heavily criticised for his performance last season, when he remained at the center of the United defence. Last season, Manchester United finished sixth in the Premier League with the lowest points tally in their history. Opta stats revealed that Maguire made more mistakes than any other player leading to opposition shots. The captaincy was a source of discontent amongst the players, according to ten Hag.
While Harry Maguire will remain the team’s captain next season, it’s possible that the club will bring in a new centre-back. Erik ten Hag told 90min’s Manchester United podcast that he had “no doubt” about Maguire’s position. The captaincy is a coveted position for Manchester United and Maguire has achieved great success. However, it’s likely that Maguire would have been worried about being left out of the first team squad next season under the new regime.
With Ashley Young leaving Manchester United in January, Maguire has been tasked with being the club’s captain. While he did a good job last season, Maguire’s captaincy was under intense scrutiny as he led the Red Devils to their worst season in Premier League history. Many critics claimed Maguire should be stripped of the armband. However, the Dutch manager has confirmed that Maguire will remain captain of the club and has given the midfielder an enormous vote of confidence.
He is looking forward to meeting Antony Martial from Ajax
Manchester United are keen on signing Ajax winger Antony Martial. The Dutch giants have agreed a PS46m fee with the Dutch side and Erik ten Hag is eager to get to know the youngster. He is also keen to sign another Dutch international in the form of Frenkie de Jong. Both players are expected to undergo a medical later this week.
The Dutch manager is interested in signing the youngster after he impressed during his time with Ajax. According to the Daily Mail, he has already communicated with Antony’s entourage, which could be a sign of genuine interest. In addition to that, the Dutch club are also interested in signing Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn. If United were to sign him, the club could receive financial and sporting relief from the transfer. The Dutch side could also create a new project based on both Antony and Timber, as they are under contract until 2025 and 2024, respectively.
According to the Dutch coach, Manchester United’s attack needs strengthening. The team is without Cristiano Ronaldo, who is reportedly keen to leave Old Trafford and has been ruled out of the United tour. Currently, the Red Devils have Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Anthony Elanga as their only senior forward options. In addition to these four players, Junior Pedroso has also been in Manchester this week.
He is interested in signing Tyrell Malacia from Ajax
A video released by Ajax has revealed that new manager Erik ten Hag is keen to sign the Ajax midfielder. In the dugout, he can be heard singing Malacia’s praises as he urges his assistant to write his name down. If the player agrees to the move, it would be a coup for United, who are in need of a striker after the departure of Andre ter Stegen.
The Dutch giants are interested in signing Malacia for PS13million, a reported fee that could rise to PS13million. Feyenoord, who won the Dutch Championship last season, have also been linked with a move for the talented teenager. However, if Manchester United fail to convince Feyenoord to sell Malacia, the player could be on his way out of the club he grew up supporting.
The Netherlands international is keen to join Manchester United. Only Daley Blind is more expensive than Malacia, which is why the club are interested in signing him. The Dutch manager is also close to signing Brazilian defender Daley Blind, who joined the club in 2013.
The player was a Dutch youth international, but his promotion to first team football alerted many European clubs. Lyon were among the favourites to sign him, but Ten Hag tempted the player to come to Old Trafford. The Dutch manager’s influence is reflected in the price paid for Malacia, reportedly worth around PS20 million. Nonetheless, the United manager’s desire to sign Malacia may be a cause for concern.
He says he wants to impose his identity on United
The Dutchman, who has been linked with the job, is keen to impress the club’s hierarchy with his attacking style. In a recent interview with The Mirror, he revealed that he had visited United in Mayfair, where he met with executives and fans before the game against Crystal Palace. However, he remained mum when asked by Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill about the appointment. Ten Hag is expected to come with a plan to bring confidence and clarity to United’s squad for the coming season. Meanwhile, a series of hidden changes will take place at Carrington, helping to bolster his ability to make the most of his players. Among these changes are the restructuring of the scouting structure under manager Brian Murtough. The training facilities will also be improved.
The Dutchman has made a number of demands during his first season as manager of Manchester United. First and foremost, he has urged the squad to improve their fitness levels. Last season, there were too many negative gestures amongst United’s players. Despite this, the club failed to develop a cohesive dressing room. Ten Hag has demanded the creation of a collective dressing room to help improve the team’s performance.
With a new manager, Manchester United will have a new identity under the new regime. The club has suffered through five different managers, which has left the squad without a clear identity. Players have been rewarded with lucrative contracts, which has made them uncompetitive and stagnant. But Ten Hag has the experience of nurturing young sides and will be able to instil a positive spirit at Old Trafford.
