While it has been suggested that Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene · Harker have arrived as assistant managers to replace United at any time, United Kingdom The Guardian reports that Ten Hag has no pressure to finish in 2024/25 and may not be sacked even if he misses a top-four finish in the Premier League. Red Devils owner Sir Jim · Ratcliffe prioritises the team's long-term success as he aims for long-term success.
Ten Hag's role is said to be to work with sporting director Dan · Ashworth to dramatically improve on-field performance and off-pitch standards. Manchester United finished eighth in the Premier League last season, the lowest position in the club's history, and there is a recognition that all areas of the club need to be repositioned and that this is not a task that can be accomplished in one summer.
United's summer rebuild has not been smooth sailing, with the introduction of midfielders hampered after acquiring centre-forward Joshua · Zirkze and centre-back Lenny · Yoro. Paris Saint-Germain have set a €70 million price tag for Uruguay international Ugarte, while Bayern Munich have also asked for €50 million to sell De Ligt.
At the same time, Manchester United's progress in selling existing players has not been easy, and Jadon Sancho and Casemiro, two high-paid players, have yet to find a home. As a result, Rajue and INEOS know that a successful rebuild of the squad may be another year or two away from being truly completed.
Off the pitch, Lajue has embarked on a £50 million refurbishment of Manchester United's Carrington training centre, which will take all of next season to complete, and will improve facilities for the men's, women's and academy teams. Going forward, United will also consider whether to rebuild or refurbish the Old Trafford stadium, which would be a much larger project, involving a huge £1 billion to £2 billion project, which could have a profound impact on the team. In the short term, it may have a somewhat negative effect and will lead to a lack of money to buy people, but in the long run, the natural benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
All in all, the Guardian's claim is that Ratcliffe has prioritised his team's progress this season and the club is keen to lay the groundwork for continued success, and as long as that goal is met, Ten Hag will not be sacked even if he fails to lead the team to the top four of the Premier League again. Manchester United activated a one-year option of first refusal in the summer window, meaning the 54-year-old Netherlands has two seasons left on his contract.
Former Everton chief executive Keith · Waines pointed out that the main reason for Rajue's hesitation on Ten Hag's stay was that as many as 10 players and staff could follow him once he was sacked, and the squad needed another major reshuffle.
As a result, Rajue eventually kept Ten Hag in his position, but arranged for new football managers such as Ashworth, Jason · Wilcox and Omar · Berada, and gradually de-Ten Hag in the transfer recruitment. After a few transfer windows, the impact of Ten Hag's continued management could be diminished. Of course, the former Ajax boss also has a chance to prove that he is capable of leading a revival, which is the best possible outcome and United do not need to reinvent the wheel again.
Ten Hag recently admitted that he has lost some of his transfer privileges. "When it comes to scouting and recruiting, a lot of things are out of my hands." Ten Hag told Dutch media outlet AD that it is necessary to raise it and that in a transfer and scouting system you need a very strong structure. The club has brought in some characters who know a lot about how to do it in the transfer market and have expertise, so that will help me. This is a very good sign."
Even though The Guardian says Ten Hag is under no pressure to finish in the top four, the United boss is clear that he has a better chance of leading his side back to the Champions League. Otherwise, Manchester United will suffer greatly in terms of income and the sponsorship fee will also be deducted. Moreover, there are no guarantees in the football world, and the owner Rajue may let him out of class at any time.