For any regular football fan, the job that Erik ten Hag oversaw in his first season at Manchester United may not have appeared all that impressive.
The Dutchman was armed with a huge war chest to transform the landscape of United's squad in last summer's transfer window, spending more than £225million on five permanent additions. But he still had the challenge of moulding it all together and making it work.
United made significant improvements after a disastrous 2021/22 campaign, finishing third in the Premier League and winning the Carabao Cup. They also reached the FA Cup final, meaning they were only one victory away from completing a domestic double.
Manchester City stopped them reaching that milestone, but the 2022/23 campaign was a success for United. Ten Hag gave the club an identity again and created some memories that will last a lifetime for some.
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Much of his good work was inspired by his summer signings, particularly the additions of Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro. They brought the energy, passion and desire to win that had been lacking in the years prior to Ten Hag's arrival.
Both players wear their heart on the sleeve and display the passion levels that every supporter, regardless of which club they follow, wants to see. They are mentally strong and are driven by the ambition and hunger of wanting to win, just like their manager.
Though United were heavily criticised for investing such lavish amounts of money in Martinez and Casemiro, they were their two best buys of the 2022/23 season, not least because of their passion levels and the immediate impact they had on the rest of the group. Martinez exceeded expectations beyond belief and Casemiro brought the quality and the mindset you would have expected of a player that had won the Champions League five times.
Those additions to the squad were a nod to the type of characters that Ten Hag wants to embed within his vision for United and his plan to take them back to greater heights. The Dutchman, of course, wants to add to his squad again this summer but is so far being restricted by the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the takeover situation.
Nevertheless, when the time does come for United to start adding to their ranks, the former Ajax manager has already highlighted the importance of recruiting the right characters, opposed to just signing players based on their footballing capabilities. Even if a player is richly talented, it does not necessarily mean Ten Hag would want to bring him to Old Trafford.
Addressing the importance of recruiting the right characters, Ten Hag, speaking in August last year, said: "Of course you analyse your squad … what are the weaknesses, what are the strengths and where can we improve? Which players are on the market?
"But it's also really important that you know the characters of your current squad and also the players that you bring in…what characters and behaviour they have. And what the effect, or probable effect, they will have in the dressing room."
With that in mind, Ten Hag will be particular about who he wants to add to his squad this summer, though finances will, of course, dictate what he and United are capable of. But it is clear that the Reds will not sign just anyone; they will want to bring in targets who fit Ten Hag's philosophy and not disrupt the good work that has already been done.
Ten Hag was the architect of the relationship between United's players and fans being rebuilt during the most recent campaign. There was harmony between them and United cannot risk seeing that undone again.
Of course, it is vital that United upgrade the level of quality within their squad, but it must be done via signing players with the right mindset and character. Ten Hag is particular about is signings and it is easy to understand why.
