Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has warned Erik ten Hag he "has to fight to win trophies" at Manchester United next season.
The Red Devils announced Ten Hag will become their next permanent manager at the end of the term, succeeding Ralf Rangnick. The Dutchman, who has won five trophies at current side Ajax, has signed a three-year deal at Old Trafford.
Conte was linked with the United job in November before joining Tottenham and has since impressed in London, guiding Spurs to fourth in the Premier League. Rangnick's side are sixth, three points behind Spurs in the race for Champions League football.
"For sure we are talking about a big club, an important club," said Conte on Thursday afternoon. "Don't forget that last season United were in second place and improve the squad with [Raphael] Varane, [Jadon] Sancho and [Cristiano] Ronaldo."
The Italian added: "It's strange but they've improved the squad and have done worse than last season. It shows it's not easy, particularly in England. "In England it's a big job for every manager, the level is so high. When you're at Man Utd the pressure is massive. You have to fight to win trophies. It's not easy because other teams have the same idea."
Conte was speaking ahead of Tottenham's trip to Brentford on Saturday evening. United, meanwhile, take on Arsenal at the Emirates in Saturday's early kick-off. The Gunners are level on points with Spurs after beating Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Can Erik ten Hag win trophies at Manchester United? Let us know in the comments below!
United confirmed the appointment of Ten Hag on Thursday morning. The 52-year-old has previously managed Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich's reserves and Utrecht. He became Ajax boss in December 2017, winning two Eredivisie titles to date.
Ajax are closing in on a third league title under Ten Hag this season. The four-time European champions are currently four points clear of PSV in second with just five fixtures remaining. Ajax lost the Dutch Cup final 2-1 to the same opponent last Sunday.
"It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United," said Ten Hag at his unveiling.
The Dutchman added: “I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead. I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve."
Football director John Murtough continued: "During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.
"In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that."
