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Ten Hag told Man Utd future ‘depends’ on £110m trio as short-term goal is set amid sack escape

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Ten Hag told Man Utd future ‘depends’ on £110m trio as short-term goal is set amid sack escape

Erik ten Hag brought Matthijs De Ligt to Manchester United this summer

Graeme Souness has warned Erik ten Hag that he is not out of the woods yet after avoiding the Manchester United sack with his future wholly dependent on getting three summer signings firing – while another pundit claims the club would look like “calamitous clowns” were they to axe him now.

The Red Devils are off to their worst-ever start in Premier League history with just two wins and three defeats from their opening seven matches played so far. Sitting 14th in the Premier League, Manchester United are statistically nearer the relegation zone right now than they are the top four.

As a result, it is no surprise that speculation over Ten Hag has reached fever pitch and a meeting of United’s executive committee in their INEOS head office in central London this week had the Dutchman’s future right at the very top of the agenda.

And while we understand that Sir Jim Ratcliffe had recommended to the board that they should part ways with the Dutchman, it seems it has been decided to give the 54-year-old a stay of execution. However, Ten Hag has been warned that, while his job is reportedly not under any immediate threat, wholesale improvements must be made and a good points return must be achieved from their next four games against Brentford, Fenerbahce (in the Europa League), West Ham and Leicester.

Former Liverpool boss Souness believes Ten Hag’s future depends on him getting the best from his summer signings and says that getting the best from Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui – who signed this summer for a combined £110m (€131.6m, $143.8m) – will be key.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Souness stated: “…the fundamental point is this: many players are better than what they are showing and that’s on Erik because a manager’s No 1 job must be to get the best out of his players.

“The club spent big again last summer but neither Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt nor Noussair Mazraoui convince me.

“Erik can’t say United haven’t supported him. By buying so many Dutch internationals and players he has managed previously, he has told the club: ‘I know these players. They will do a good job.’

“If someone had brought them to his attention and he didn’t fancy them, he could have said: ‘No, I’ve worked with them before and they’re not for me.’

“He has driven those transfers. His future now depends on making them work out.”

IN-DEPTH ~ Matthijs de Ligt: What Ten Hag disciple can add for Man Utd and why Juventus, Bayern moves didn’t work out

Despite preparing the side for the Bees clash on Saturday week, Ten Hag’s future remains far from certain and a failure to claim positive results over the remainder of the month will ensure the pressure remains very firmly on his shoulders.

And it is our understanding that, during those talks on Tuesday, Ratcliffe put forward the names of both Thomas Tuchel – who held talks with United over the summer – and Graham Potter as prospective replacements.

Ultimately, though, the British billionaire left the decision in the hands of chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth, with Ratcliffe trusting their superior football knowledge and analysis of the situation in reaching the verdict to stand by their man – for now.

However, Simon Jordan feels there is an element of United being made to look silly if they had sacked a manager just a matter of weeks after handing him a contract extension.

‘The proper time for a robust discussion about Erik ten Hag’s future was during the summer, not seven games into a new season in which he’s been handed an extended contract and £200m worth of new players and a so-called new framework which is only weeks old,’ he wrote in the Daily Mail

‘I’m not excusing United’s start to the season. You don’t need to be a performance analyst guru with supposed transferable skills like Sir Dave Brailsford to look at the league table and realise 14th isn’t good enough.

‘Any club of United’s stature would be investigating replacement options if the current malaise doesn’t correct itself. And should United remain outside the top 10 by Christmas, there wouldn’t even be a debate to be had, calls for the manager to go would be universal.

‘But barely two months into the season, why would you change the strategy you were convinced by in the summer?

‘If they’d taken radical action and removed Ten Hag in their first close season, I’d have understood – and even encouraged it. But to reverse their own decision so quickly suggests a loss of nerve. We know that although the league table looks bad, it is only a small sample size and things in football can change relatively quickly.

‘If they believe Ten Hag was the right person in the summer, they owe it to give him a little more rope, either to run with or the alternative.

‘As a club, United have not yet built the stability around the coach they said they were going to. Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada are just in the building.

‘While my gut feeling is you should always run your business the way you think it should, United know that jettisoning their manager so soon after inviting him to stay makes them look out of control. It will be a trigger for running the gauntlet of public opinion who will see them as a bunch of calamitous clowns for reversing a big decision they took in the summer.’

Souness is not the only one to question Ten Hag over his summer signings, with Paul Scholes also lamenting the transfers made by the United boss this summer.

Now Dutch legend Marco van Basten has also condemned Ten Hag for signing ‘costly mistake’ Ugarte, with the Uruguayan star having cost £50m from PSG but having been limited to just 103 minutes of Premier League action so far.

However, we believe it may be too soon to write the Uruguayan off and we’ve outlined exactly why he is key to getting the best out of Kobbie Mainoo.

Despite that, the Red Devils are far from done with spending this season and sources have informed us that United are evaluating a potential €28m January deal for Amar Dedic, with Dan Ashworth an admirer and looking to beat his former club Brighton, as well as Napoli to his signature.

 

 

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BREAKING NEWS: Alexander Arnold is disappointed by his friend’s choice to join Manchester United instead of Liverpool . The Liverpool star shared his feelings, saying, “I really thought we’d be thriving together at Anfield! We’ve been successful and winning trophies, so I thought it would be an obvious decision.”

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BREAKING NEWS: Alexander Arnold is disappointed by his friend’s choice to join Manchester United instead of Liverpool . The Liverpool star shared his feelings, saying, “I really thought we’d be thriving together at Anfield! We’ve been successful and winning trophies, so I thought it would be an obvious decision.”

 

Phil Foden, a key player for Manchester City and an integral part of the club’s success under Pep Guardiola, has shared his disappointment regarding his close friend Jarrad Branthwaite’s decision to sign with Manchester United.

Foden and Branthwaite have a strong bond, having played together for England’s national team, and Foden’s reaction reflects both personal frustration and the wider implications of the intense rivalry between Manchester’s two major clubs.

In an open interview, Foden revealed that he personally tried to persuade Branthwaite to join Manchester City, a club currently dominating both English and European football.

Foden believed it was an obvious choice for his friend to move to the Etihad, given City’s ongoing success. “I told him to come to City. We’ve been winning everything, so it seemed like an easy decision,” Foden explained.

To Foden’s disappointment, Branthwaite chose Manchester United instead, a club that has struggled in recent years to reclaim its former dominance. United’s inconsistent performances and lack of trophies have stood in contrast to City’s continued triumphs under Guardiola, making Branthwaite’s decision even more surprising to many.

Despite Foden’s efforts, Branthwaite opted to join United, believing in their long-term rebuilding project and the opportunity to be part of a squad aiming for resurgence.

Foden expressed his frustration, particularly about the missed opportunity to play alongside Branthwaite at City. “Playing with him at City would have been amazing,” he said. Foden’s comments illustrate the disappointment of a player who, having experienced great success with his club, felt Branthwaite’s decision represented a missed chance for the defender to advance his career with a winning team.

The rivalry between Manchester City and Manchester United is longstanding, and in recent years, City has become the dominant force in English football, winning numerous titles under Guardiola. Meanwhile, United has struggled with managerial instability and inconsistent performances since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite Anold frustration, he acknowledged that his friendship with Branthwaite remains strong. While he respects Branthwaite’s decision, he hinted at the challenges that come with playing for a club like United, where high expectations often clash with underwhelming results.

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BREAKING NEWS: Alexander Arnold is disappointed by his friend’s choice to join Manchester United instead of Liverpool . The Liverpool star shared his feelings, saying, “I really thought we’d be thriving together at Anfield! We’ve been successful and winning trophies, so I thought it would be an obvious decision.”

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on

BREAKING NEWS: Alexander Arnold is disappointed by his friend’s choice to join Manchester United instead of Liverpool . The Liverpool star shared his feelings, saying, “I really thought we’d be thriving together at Anfield! We’ve been successful and winning trophies, so I thought it would be an obvious decision.”

 

Phil Foden, a key player for Manchester City and an integral part of the club’s success under Pep Guardiola, has shared his disappointment regarding his close friend Jarrad Branthwaite’s decision to sign with Manchester United.

Foden and Branthwaite have a strong bond, having played together for England’s national team, and Foden’s reaction reflects both personal frustration and the wider implications of the intense rivalry between Manchester’s two major clubs.

In an open interview, Foden revealed that he personally tried to persuade Branthwaite to join Manchester City, a club currently dominating both English and European football.

Foden believed it was an obvious choice for his friend to move to the Etihad, given City’s ongoing success. “I told him to come to City. We’ve been winning everything, so it seemed like an easy decision,” Foden explained.

To Foden’s disappointment, Branthwaite chose Manchester United instead, a club that has struggled in recent years to reclaim its former dominance. United’s inconsistent performances and lack of trophies have stood in contrast to City’s continued triumphs under Guardiola, making Branthwaite’s decision even more surprising to many.

Despite Foden’s efforts, Branthwaite opted to join United, believing in their long-term rebuilding project and the opportunity to be part of a squad aiming for resurgence.

Foden expressed his frustration, particularly about the missed opportunity to play alongside Branthwaite at City. “Playing with him at City would have been amazing,” he said. Foden’s comments illustrate the disappointment of a player who, having experienced great success with his club, felt Branthwaite’s decision represented a missed chance for the defender to advance his career with a winning team.

The rivalry between Manchester City and Manchester United is longstanding, and in recent years, City has become the dominant force in English football, winning numerous titles under Guardiola. Meanwhile, United has struggled with managerial instability and inconsistent performances since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite Anold frustration, he acknowledged that his friendship with Branthwaite remains strong. While he respects Branthwaite’s decision, he hinted at the challenges that come with playing for a club like United, where high expectations often clash with underwhelming results.

Continue Reading

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BREAKING: Manchester United have finally decided to part ways with Erik Ten Hag, decision taken by the board this morning to replace Him with Zidane

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BREAKING: Manchester United have finally decided to part ways with Erik Ten Hag, decision taken by the board this morning to replace Him with Zidane

Zinedine Zidane has one signing in mind if he takes over at Man Utd with the former Real Madrid boss now ‘open’ to succeeding Erik ten Hag, according to reports.

The Red Devils have made their worst start to a Premier League season this term with Ten Hag’s side earning just eight points from a possible 21 in their first seven matches this term.

Man Utd, who have scored just five goals in the Premier League this campaign. are currently floundering in 14th and Ten Hag is now under pressure from media, fans and the board to turn around results.

Ten Hag is expected to be in charge of the Red Devils’ first match back after the international break against Brentford amid speculation the Man Utd board could try and keep him in position until closer to January.

Speaking ahead of the Red Devils’ executive committee’s pre-planned monthly meeting last Tuesday, Ten Hag said: “We always talk, every week. I would say every day we talk so, yeah, I expect I will speak with them.”

Pushed on them being in the bottom of half after drawing 0-0 against Aston Villa, Ten Hag replied: “I think you said it very good – it is external noise.

“Internal we are disappointed and we know we need to do better, especially we need to score more because in this moment after this block of games that’s the area we’re really short.

“All the other areas I think we are doing really well. We have four clean sheets so that says a lot about the defending and the organisation. Also now the defending of defensive transitions we are doing really well, so we are really improving on that point.

“Our build-up play is good – we are calm, composed. We’re creating the chances apart from today.

“I think today we should have created more, but that area in the box of the opponent we have to be more ruthless, more clinical, more killing and we have to work on this.”

There have been rumours of numerous managers being in line to replace Ten Hag if he is sacked with Max Allegri, Gareth Southgate, Thomas Tuchel, Eddie Howe and Thomas Frank among the names linked.

Former Real Madrid boss Zidane is another manager reportedly on the Red Devils’ radar and reports in Spain claim that he ‘would be open to the possibility of landing at Old Trafford’.

And Zidane ‘already has a priority target in mind’ for the January transfer window with the Frenchman demanding Barcelona defender Jules Kounde as his first signing.

The France international has ‘aroused the interest of Zidane’ and ‘would be fundamental to strengthen a defence that has shown serious weaknesses in recent months’.

The report adds:

‘It is no secret that Zidane deeply admires his compatriot, and believes that his incorporation could give the English team a leap in quality.

‘However, FC Barcelona are not willing to let one of their most important players go. The Catalan club considers Koundé to be untransferable, and the player seems to be fully committed to the Barça project.’

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