United are aware that they need to appoint a new manager sooner rather than later so that potential transfer targets know who they will be playing for next season and it looks like Eric Ten Hague will be the man.
The 52-year-old will be on a mission to transfer his progressive and attractive style of play from Ajax to United and will be busy this summer trying to acquire players who fit this approach.
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United will lose four first-team players on free transfers in a few months and more could follow through the exit door. At least new arrivals in midfield and attack are required.
Part of Ten Hag’s appeal is that it can fit into a system at Old Trafford that gives more power to football manager John Murtough.
Murtough played a key role in the temporary appointment of Ralf Rangnick and the search for a new permanent boss, while he will be active in transfers and evaluation of goals this summer, with United already having recruited new players.
But once an agreement is reached with Ten Haag, it is inevitable that the Dutchman will have his own ideas regarding the formation of the team and this will be the first important test of how he will join the new structure of United.
Having spent five years at Ajax, Ten Haag will have developed a close relationship with some of his players and will also believe that bringing one or two with him could help adapt his United players to his system and ideas.
However, there is a clear risk in pursuing this strategy and United must be careful to give Ten Hague what he wants, while he will not sign players who are not going to work in the Premier League.
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United do not have to turn the clock too far to remind themselves of the dangers of acquiring players from the Eredivisie – and from Ajax. Donny van de Beek has been a well-publicized 35 35million signing who has made four Premier League appearances and has not made much of an impression since moving to Everton on loan in January.
Ten Haag may believe he can bring Van de Beck back, but Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskj .r both decided he was not equipped to play in the Premier League midfield.
United may point to Ruud van Nistelrooy as an example of a player signed by the Eredivisie who has had a direct impact at this level, but for every Van Nistelrooy there is a Memphis Depay, for every Daley Blind there is an Alexander Buttner and for every Ji -Sung Park There’s a Van de Beek.
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The history of the Premier League is full of players who shone in the Netherlands and then struggled when they crossed the North Sea.
While there may be some talented players on this Ajax squad, Ten Haag has also signed locals Dusan Tadic and Sebastian Haller with Premier League failures and both looked great in the Eredivisie.
Jurrien Timber and Antony are the two Ajax players most often linked with the Ten Hags, as 19-year-old midfielder Ryan Gravenberch looks set to make a change at Bayern Munich.
Timber and Anthony have certainly looked into the role this season, but the dangers for United do not need to be clarified. Van de Beek also looked at Ajax.
This is a crucial summer at Old Trafford and the decision to appoint Ten Hague after the reinforcement of the team is one of those that United can not afford to make a mistake, so if that means disappointing its new coach for some transfers goals, then let it be.
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