Incoming Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag gave a brutal assessment of the squad he will inherent and feels the club need a number of new players, according to reports.
The Dutchman was confirmed as United’s new head coach last Thursday, signing a three-year deal with the option for a fourth, and he will play a key role in recruitment planning for the summer as soon as Ajax’s campaign is over.
United are facing a huge turnover of players in the coming months, with a couple of high-profile players coming to the end of their contracts.
Paul Pogba, who has been linked with a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain is among the players to leave, while Jesse Lingard, Cavani, Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic will also leave.
There are also question marks over the futures of Cristiano Ronaldo, Martial, Rashford, Eric Bailly, Diogo Dalot and Phil Jones – with many of those players about to enter the last year of their contracts.
According to The Independent, Ten Hag feels the situation – coupled with the team’s general underperformance – is a major issue and told United’s hierarchy they ‘could do with almost an entire XI’ of new players to improve the level of the squad.
That is not to say Ten Hag feels the entire starting lineup needs replacing, but he wants to add a combination of both first-team stars and backup players this summer.
The Ajax manager’s assessment of the team tallies with that of Ralf Rangnick, who suggested United might get into double figures in terms of new signings this summer – in large part due to the number of players who have run down their contracts.
Speaking this month, Rangnick explained: ‘The team needs a rebuild, not because some players have to go but quite a few have no contracts anymore, their contracts are expiring, then for me it’s clear there will be six, seven, eight, maybe 10 new players.’
Rangnick has conveyed that very same message to the club’s hierarchy privately and backed up Ten Hag’s appraisal of the squad.
In fact, according to The Independent, the German went even further and told the club’s decision-makers that he ‘does not think all that many players are up to standard’.
Ten Hag is targeting some new players and is reported to want a new striker, right winger, two new midfielders and a right-sided defender, with Ajax’s Jurrien Timber capable of playing in a number of positions in the back-line.
