Manchester United are close to making Erik Ten Hag their new manager, with the current Ajax boss emerging as their No1 choice for the role ahead of Mauricio Pochettino.
United have been searching for a new head coach since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure late last year, with Ralf Rangnick installed as interim until the end of the season.
Ten Hag was interviewed during the international break last month and a deal is close to being agreed with Ajax to take the Dutchman to Old Trafford in the summer.
But who is that good news for among the United squad - and who might he bring with him?
Donny van de Beek
Of all the players on United’s books, the most obvious beneficiary of Ten Hag’s arrival is one who isn’t actually currently playing for them: Donny van de Beek.
The Dutchman is embroiled in Everton’s relegation scrap having left Old Trafford on loan in January in search of more regular playing time.
He was a crucial part of the Ajax side that reached the semi-finals of the 2018/19 Champions League under Ten Hag and stuck around for another season when the likes of Frenkie de Jong and Mathijs de Ligt were sold the following summer, before joining United in a £35million deal in 2020.
He was pointedly under-used by both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, making just four Premier League starts for United between his arrival and his departure for Goodison Park, but will surely be given a fresh start by his former coach.
Jadon Sancho
There is a decent case to be made for the theory that Jadon Sancho will be a markedly improved player next season, regardless of who is in charge at Old Trafford.
The former Borussia Dortmund star arrived off the back of an emotionally exhausting summer with England at Euro 2020 and did not benefit from a pre-season at his new club but has finally begun to show glimpses of his best form in recent months.
That said, Ten Hag’s flowing attacking style should see United play to Sancho’s strengths, his favoured 4-3-3 granting his wingers licence to stay high and wide to stretch opponents.
The likes of Hakim Ziyech, Quincy Promes, David Neres and Antony have all reached arguably the best form of their careers playing on the wing under Ten Hag.
Marcus Rashford
Much of the above in terms of tactical style also applies to Marcus Rashford, who is clearly a player in desperate need of a clean slate under a new manager.
The forward has lost his place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad little more than six months out from the World Cup and cannot buy a start in Rangnick’s side either, even omitted as United played without a recognised striker against Leicester last weekend.
There is still a question, however, of how long the 24-year-old will be around when Ten Hag takes over in the summer, having been linked with a move away from his boyhood club.
Antony
Not especially helpful to Rashford’s cause are the rumours already swirling that Ten Hag could bring Brazilian winger Antony with him to Old Trafford from Amsterdam.
The 22-year-old was signed from Sao Paolo in 2020 and has registered 12 goals and 10 assists so far this season.
“Premier League and La Liga are the leagues I find beautiful,” he said in an interview with Dutch publication De Telegraaf earlier this year. “When the time is right, I hope to play there.”
That Sancho’s best form has come on the left-wing means United’s long search for a right-winger continues and he could be the answer.
Jurrien Timber
Last summer, it looked as if United had solved their centre-back problems when Raphael Varane was signed from Real Madrid to partner Harry Maguire, fresh off the back of a superb Euro 2020 with England.
However, the pair’s partnership has never hit the expected heights, with Varane’s season disrupted by injury and Maguire’s form dropping off a cliff.
Rated as one of the best defensive prospects in Europe, Jurrien Timber came through Ajax’s academy and has subsequently inherited De Ligt’s role as the young, homegrown centre-piece of the Ajax defence.
Still just 20, the defender would likely command a huge transfer fee, while some have touted his relative lack of height as a concern with a view to a Premier League move.
