Manchester United and Erik ten Hag are in confident mood heading into the summer.
The Reds look set to secure Champions League football for next season via a top-four finish in the Premier League while they could yet add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup they already have in the Old Trafford trophy cabinet. It will be qualified as a successful first year for the Dutchman who has helped instil an identity and a coherent plan to a club that for the past few seasons had been devoid of both.
Transfer windows gone by are proof enough of that. Expensive flops, failed pursuits and a seeming willingness to sign on name alone resulted in woeful window after woeful window. Ten Hag has already shown he has autonomy on recruitment, evidenced by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and the winter loan arrival of Wout Weghorst - a Ten Hag signing and a Ten Hag decision.
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He'll be making many more over the months to come and while the areas in need of improvement are obvious, Ten Hag must ensure he finds the right balance. There's a necessity for the here and now, particularly up front, where the arrival of Harry Kane would be impossible to argue with.
The Tottenham forward is a prolific Premier League goalscorer and would bring guaranteed goals and much more besides. It would be a no-brainer if United are able to twist Daniel Levy's arm.
But elsewhere, Ten Hag must plan ahead and shape a policy designed to benefit United for next term and in the years to come. Indeed the Dutchman has no concerns about selling the club to any prospective signings.
"I see a big difference in comparison with last year," he said last week. "There were a lot of reservations last year when I spoke with players and now many players see the project, what's going on, the dynamic and the ambition in this project, the quality especially. They are really keen to come, I've noticed that.
"It looks like there were a lot of reservations last year, a lot of doubts when we approached players. This year, many quality players really want to come."
Kane turns 30 this summer and would join David de Gea, Casemiro, Raphael Varane and Christian Eriksen as first-choice players who are fighting the grains of time.
With Bruno Fernandes 30 next year and a clutch of squad players in the same bracket, United must adapt their transfer policy accordingly.
Ten Hag knows this and acted in the summer to sign Antony and Lisandro Martinez. Both players are established internationals who could slot straight in, but also have the potential to develop further while offering a re-sale value should one be required down the line.
United have a number of exciting youngsters, led by Alejandro Garnacho, alongside an experienced spine and a few players who could rightly be considered in their peak years, but it's here where work can be done.
Successful Premier League sides are built on players in their prime, a necessity if United are to reach theirs.
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