Erik ten Hag’s first summer at Manchester United was always billed as a rebuild job, following on from a truly disastrous campaign.
United had barely scraped into Europe, their experiment with Ralf Rangnick failed, their most expensive signing was about to leave, and practically every position was in need of some new additions. In fact, Rangnick summed it up when he suggested United would need 10 new signings in the transfer window.
Of course, that was always going to be easier said than done. While there’s no doubt United need something of an overhaul, it was always unlikely Ten Hag would make that amount of signings.
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To his credit, the Dutchman has so far identified six players he wants to bring to Old Trafford. Two of those look as though they’ll be walking through the door soon, with fees agreed for both Frenkie de Jong and Tyrell Malacia.
Others though might take a bit more work. In all likelihood, we won’t see Ten Hag’s true vision until next year.
His efforts this summer haven’t been helped by the unique position United – and everyone else for that matter – find themselves in this summer. The World Cup being played in the winter rather than the summer already looks to have scuppered Ten Hag’s chances of landing one of his targets.
Jurrien Timber looks to have been scared off by Louis van Gaal’s stern warning that he’d be risking his place in the Netherlands squad were he to not nail down a regular spot at Old Trafford. It’s now looking increasingly likely that Ten Hag will have to wait until January (at the earliest) to get his man.
That problem though could rear its head for any number of players this summer. There will be plenty of potential targets who might be eyeing up a trip to Qatar at the end of the year, and weighing up whether the risk of a move outweighs the reward.
In fact, another Ajax player in Antony may well find himself in the same boat. The winger is perhaps more likely to get into United’s side than Timber, such are their problems on the right, but having started just twice for his country since making his international debut last year, would he risk his place in Brazil’s squad, or take the safer option of staying put?
Ten Hag made it clear upon arriving at United that he wanted control over transfers, no doubt with the complaints from some of his predecessors ringing in his ears. Given United’s failures over the years with their signings, it was always important to let the new man in charge mould his side in his image.
But this, of all years, is arguably the toughest time to do so — or at least it is for some of the players United’s boss has in mind. Ten Hag himself looks as though he might be coming to terms with not getting all the players he wants this summer, with reports suggesting those still remaining at United from last season’s squad will start on a clean slate.
As frustrating as the lack of activity has been at the start of the window, United do at least look as though they’ll soon have lift-off with the arrivals of De Jong and Malacia. Were he to make six signings this summer, that would be some effort from Ten Hag, but it might be a few months yet before his full vision becomes clear.
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