In his first exclusive interview after taking over the reigns at Manchester United, Erik ten Hag earmarked June 27th as the date his squad would report for its first training session under the new boss. With just four days until then, Ten Hag is yet to see a new signing walk through the doors at Carrington.
After much deliberation, Man United appear to be slowly closing in on its first signing since Ten Hag was named manager in April. While most clubs around them have been uncompromisingly proactive in the transfer market, United have struggled to show progress in recruiting players ahead of the new season.
Supporters had been optimistic of positive change amidst an overhaul in recruitment staff during the first half of 2022. Ralf Rangnick shed some light on the true extent of the dysfunctionality behind the scenes at United, openly lambasting the club’s scouting and recruitment departments.
Rangnick’s remarks did not leave a positive impression on the club’s hierarchy and although he had initially agreed to continue at United in a consultancy role, the ex-interim manager was shown the door at Old Trafford after he was named manager of the Austria national team.
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Former chief-executive Ed Woodward abdicated for Richard Arnold to become the club’s new CEO in February, chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global scouting Marcel Bout both left United in April, and last month Matt Judge resigned from his post as director of football negotiations. Now that Woodward and his henchmen are no longer at the club, there is a renewed sense of hope that United may begin to operate efficiently in the market.
Andy O’Boyle has been appointed deputy football director and he is to assist John Murtough who became United’s first director of football last year. O’Boyle left his role as Head of Elite Performance at the Premier League for a return to United, where he previously worked as a youth coach in 2006.
As per an official club statement, “Andy has experience across all technical areas of football, from fitness and sports science to scouting and recruitment”, and during the course of the past 10 years the Northern Irishman has worked with Liverpool and the England U/21 team.
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Richard Arnold recently met with disgruntled United supporters at a local Cheshire pub, where the United CEO reiterated the Glazer family are unfazed by ongoing protests against the club’s owners. Arnold also insisted officials are working tirelessly to lure Frenkie de Jong to Manchester, with the Dutch midfielder high up on Ten Hag’s list of transfer targets.
Reports suggest United and FC Barcelona are around £15million apart in their valuations of De Jong. Barça are seeking a fee in the region of £70m (€80m) and turned down United’s opening bid of £50m with £8m add-ons. The clubs are both playing hardball in what has been described as a ‘high-stakes poker game’.
Barça’s dire financial situation would suggest they are obliged to sell one of their utmost valuable assets and highest earners. They will also need to rake in substantial income if they are to prise Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich before the transfer window closes on August 31st.
Aside from De Jong, Antony has also been mentioned as being one of Ten Hag’s first potential acquisitions since the 52-year-old switched Amsterdam for Manchester. De Jong and Antony have each played for Ten Hag previously and, not to mention, both flourished in the Dutchman’s system at Ajax.
Throughout his 10-year managerial career Ten Hag is yet to spend more than €20m on a signing, with Antony his joint-most expensive purchase to date. The winger joined Ajax from São Paulo in 2020, for €16m, and reports suggest Ten Hag is on the verge of re-signing the Brazilian international for three times that price.
De Jong, 25, is represented by agent Ali Dursun whose other clients include Donny van de Beek and Victor Lindelöf. This is not the first time United have been on the brink of signing a Dutch midfielder and Wes Sneijder is still due a medical at Carrington.
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Aside from Gerard Piqué’s transfer back to his boyhood club in 2008, United and Barça have not conducted business since Jordi Cruyff joined the Red Devils 26 years ago. United re-signed Mark Hughes in 1988 after he was sold to the Catalan giants two years earlier, just months prior to Alex Ferguson’s appointment in the north-west of England.
Ruben Neves has been touted as an alternative should a move for De Jong fall through, and Wolves would solicit a fee north of £40m for their Portuguese midfielder. Youri Tielemans is approaching the final year of his contract at Leicester City, but the Belgium international is currently more likely to join Arsenal than United.
Football correspondent David Ornstein reported last week that United have made an offer to free agent Christian Eriksen. The Dane may snub the Red Devils in favour of a return to Tottenham who, unlike United, can offer Champions League football.
United bid farewell to six first-team players (among them Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, and Juan Mata) whose contracts all expire this month. In addition, a handful of others are nearing the final year of their current deals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford, David de Gea, Fred, and Luke Shaw all out of contract in 12 months’ time.
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In the meantime, United will need to offload players to raise additional funds for Ten Hag’s proposed squad revamp. Dean Henderson is nearing an exit, albeit on loan, with top-flight returnees Nottingham Forest circling for the English goalie’s signature.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been told he does not feature in Ten Hag’s plans and the 24-year-old right-back is said to be in line for a return to Crystal Palace on an initial loan deal. Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are all doubtful of remaining at Old Trafford although the centre-back triad would earn United hardly £20m in transfer fees.
Brandon Williams turns 22 this year yet he may prove surplus to requirements at United. He played 29 times for Norwich City last season and, unless Ten Hag opts to deploy Williams him as back-up to Shaw or Diogo Dalot, the versatile full-back might be subject to another loan or could even depart from his boyhood club on a permanent move.
Anthony Martial is among Europe’s most out-of-form forwards and the question remains whether any clubs would be interested in the misfit striker. Martial has scored just nine goals in 59 games since the start of the 2020/21 season and could make a return to his native France, seven years after signing for United as a teenager.
Andreas Pereira was all set to complete a permanent switch to Flamengo following a loan spell in his home nation, however the Brazilian club are reconsidering the opportunity to sign the 26-year-old for €10,5m.
(Photo by Ash Donelon / Manchester United via Getty Images)
Players who did not feature in the recent internationals are due to report for the start of pre-season training next week, as Ten Hag prepares to get an up-close glimpse of his new squad. The likes of Jadon Sancho, Rashford, van de Beek, Martial, and de Gea are all expected at Carrington on Monday, while those who played international football this month have an extra week off before shifting focus to the new season.
United have six pre-season fixtures scheduled, starting in Bangkok against arch rivals Liverpool before a triple-header in Australia. The Red Devils close out their 2022/23 preparations with two games in as many days – first against Atlético Madrid in Oslo, Norway followed swiftly by Ten Hag’s first instalment at Old Trafford versus Rayo Vallecano.
Man Utd pre-season tour 2022/23:
July 12 – vs Liverpool
July 15 – vs Melbourne Victory
July 19 – vs Crystal Palace
July 23 – vs Aston Villa
July 30 – vs Atletico Madrid
July 31 – vs Rayo Vallecano
The Premier League fixtures were announced last week and within the first 13 games of the season United will have faced all five teams that finished above them last term. Following an opening-day encounter with Brighton & Hove Albion, United travel to the capital for a meeting with Brentford.
Thereafter, matters start to get significantly tougher for Ten Hag and his troops as United welcome Liverpool to Old Trafford on August 20th/21st. Arsenal pay a visit to M16 over the first weekend of September, while October sees United embark on a daunting trek across town to Man City, an away day at Chelsea as well as home clashes with Spurs and West Ham.
