The most fundamental change will come next, with Ajax coach Erik ten Hag now being the overwhelming favorite to get the job. It will be an enviable challenge for the Dutchman. Over time, Ten Hag has to decide with which members of a team that is not performing well and who they will keep. Eric Ten Hague faces an enviable reconstruction mission if he gets the job at Manchester United Those leaving will then have to be replaced and Ten Hag will need a substantial transport kitten to begin a rebuild that will likely take several years. But, as previous United coaches have discovered, it is often not enough to make gradual progress towards some medium to long-term ambition. They need to start having enough positive results to keep supporters happy and, ideally, win some silver. United are now five years without a trophy, a long drought by its standards. United have gone from one disappointment to another in a very overwhelming season Inevitably, the rumors are circulating before Ten Hague is officially confirmed with United being associated with various high-profile players and some goals more pursued than others. Sportsmail applies the rule to some of the stated goals, how they would fit in and how they could improve United. Declan rice Defensive midfielder? West Ham and England The midfield is a tender wound that United have simply not been able to heal in recent seasons despite spending significant sums on players such as Fred and Donny van de Beek. Again and again under Ole Gunnar Solskier and Ralph Rangnick they have been found to be lacking in this section, with the back line now having sufficient protection and no fluid transition to turn the defense into an attack. Fred is an international from Brazil and he has improved, but he is not at all close to world class and the same can be said for Scott McTominay. Nemanja Matic is getting older and Paul Pogba is almost certain to leave this summer. West Ham’s Declan Rice is exactly the kind of defensive midfielder United desperately need United should have tackled their problem in that position last summer, but behind-the-scenes malfunction means succession planning is not possible. So they are in a position where they urgently need to pay most of the 100 100 million to someone like West Ham’s Declan Rice. His talents are unquestionable and Rice is exactly what United are shouting. Not only would it provide confidence in the defense, but it would make a difference in every game and lead them in front of every opportunity. Rice is already the heartbeat of West Ham and England and, at 23, he could serve United well for at least five years and his purchase would send a strong message about the new coach’s intentions. Fred (left) and Scott McTominay (right) have an implant, but neither would be world-class. West Ham, on the other hand, would make a very tough price deal – David Moyes claimed he would need 150 150m to reward Rice. Also, Rice is likely to be of interest this summer from clubs in next season’s Champions League. As it stands, there is no guarantee that United will play in Europe. And even if they land Rice, there will be a huge burden on him. He should be working with one of Fred, McTominay or Van de Beek, at least initially. In time, the young James Garner, who did well on loan at Nottingham Forest this season, could form a partnership with him. However, United must try to sign him, at least as a statement of their intention to return to the top inside and outside Europe. Rice played great for England at Euro 2020 and his form continued this season Calvin Phillips Defensive midfielder? Leeds United and England Phillips has also emerged as a possible midfield option for United and would not be as expensive as Rice. It’s a good idea to imagine Rice and Phillips’s effective England midfield playing in United’s red, but spending big on both of them in the same summer will severely limit recruitment in other areas. Phillips would offer many of the same qualities as Rice, insisting on the defensive midfielder, if not necessarily the most aggressive qualities. But in the end, that’s missing from United in this position. Someone in the mold of a Rodri or N’Golo Kante to anchor things, especially in the big games against Liverpool or Manchester City, when the midfield is flooded. Calvin Phillips, of Leeds and England, would be a great alternative to Rice Given Ten Hag’s tendency to attack, someone in the Phillips mold seems even more necessary. Phillips is known to be ambitious and definitely worth moving to a big six, although the young Leeds fan will be well aware of how controversial a change in the Pennines will be. United may need to move fast, however, with Newcastle, West Ham and Aston Villa joining Phillips ahead of the summer. On paper, it seems that Phillips should be the No. 2 option if Rice can not be persuaded to leave West Ham. Signing both would be costly and may not be the best resource allocation with so many more to fix. Reproducing Phillips and Rice’s England axis is tempting, but it would be expensive for United Harry Kane Striker; Tottenham and England Now that would really be a statement. Harry Kane is the Premier League’s best center-forward and one of the best in the world – and United need a proven scorer. Cristiano Ronaldo led the way this season, but his goal returns were not spectacular at all and he certainly will not get stuck beyond the summer if they do not qualify for the Champions League. Edinson Cavani’s time with the club has ended badly, Anthony Martial has been loaned out and Mason Greenwood’s career hangs in the balance. United urgently need a striker with 25 goals a season in the form of Harry Kane Rangnik did not exactly give Marcus Rasford a huge vote of confidence when he chose to play Bruno Fernandes as a fake nine against Leicester last weekend. So what seemed like an embarrassment to the riches with the reds at the beginning of the season seems a bit crude. A defensive midfielder should be the first transfer priority in the summer, but a good center forward who can guarantee them at least 20 a season should follow closely. Everyone knows that Kane desperately wants to win the silver and at the age of 28, it is obvious that he has to leave the Spurs to do so. It is possible that both Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Edinson Cavani (right) will leave this summer His move to Manchester City failed last summer and he is now once again linked with a number of top clubs, including United. Kane in good form and layoffs next season would push United into the title picture after a stroke. He is not enjoying his best season for a long time, but he still has 22 in all competitions. Daniel Levy will dig into his heels, but a deal for Kane this summer, with two seasons left on his contract with the Spurs, seems more feasible, albeit for the hefty τέλος 100m fee. It could very well prove to be a worthwhile investment for United and the least they can do is explore the possibility and gauge interest. English colleagues Kane and Marcus Rasford could connect well at club level Ruben Neves Central midfield? Wolves and Portugal As Ten Hague approaches work, reports have surfaced this week suggesting Ruben Neves is one of the coach’s top goals for his first window. He is obviously a “huge fan” of the Portuguese and has been for many years, apparently considering Neves as a possible successor to Paul Pogba in the midfield. United have struggled to break even the mediocre opposition at Old Trafford this season and often creative people like Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes or Jadon Sancho have not been able to lead the team to victory on their own. Maybe Neves could be the key to unlocking things. The Wolves are enjoying a positive season, but his comebacks with four goals and two assists seem quite mediocre. Wolves’ Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves emerged as another option for United Bruno Lage, however, often places him in a more defensive midfield position, which limits his ability to push forward. If United move for the 25-year-old, who has a two-year contract with the Wolves, it would give him the flexibility to play in both positions. Neves would also have an existing relationship with compatriot Fernandes and Ronaldo, if he stays, and so he could hit the ground running. By that logic, if Ten Hag is really willing, it might make sense to move on to Neves just before you see if the more expensive Rice or Phillips is possible. At least then they are covered for an extra medium and although Lage recently warned that it would take a “big bid” to persuade Wolves to sell Neves, it would be cheaper than others on this list. Neves could be a good replacement for Paul Pogba, who is expected to leave this summer John McGinn Central midfield? Aston Villa and Scotland Another midfield option that has emerged in recent days is Aston Villa and Scot McGinn, who has three goals and two assists for his team this season. Steven Gerrard has already made it clear that McGinn is not for sale, even for 50 million pounds, and described him as “the glue to what is good at Aston Villa”. It is certainly difficult to question McGinn’s commitment on the pitch and, at 27, he will certainly have ambitions to move to a club that plays European football. John McGinn receives a shot under pressure from Rashford during Villa’s visit to Old Trafford After the constantly muddy and negative body language at Old Trafford this season, United need players who will give it their all. United do not need to sign both Neves and McGinn, but someone new in the midfield to connect things with each other will be high enough …
