13 issues we discovered from Neville’s interview with Ten Hag – together with transfers

As the dust begins to settle on a turbulent second season in charge of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag was quizzed on all things Red Devils by club legend Gary Neville.

Ten Hag came into the season with the excitement of Champions League football and the opportunity to build on the League Cup triumph last term. But United’s dismal 2023/24 campaign has seen them suffer their worst Champions League finish to date and miss out on the top four, while delivering some calamitous performances and various falling outs occurring between the manager and his players.

The 54-year-old’s position is uncertain going into next season, making his interview with Neville for Sky Sports a fascinating watch. And Daily Star Sport is on hand to bring you everything covered, including injury problems, failed transfer targets, United’s highly scrutinised style of play and Ten Hag’s relationship with the new ownership, headed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

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Recruitment struggles

Ten Hag spilled the beans on United’s failure to land several of his top targets after Neville brought up Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who played under the Dutchman at Ajax. The manager responded by stating that United can only sign outstanding players who have the mental and physical capacity to play for a club of such stature.

Interestingly, he admitted he was not able to get some of the already-world class players he wanted – a running trend at United over the past decade – and that he had to accept signing talented prospects instead.

Kane and Hojlund

Ten Hag confirmed that Harry Kane was his primary transfer target in the summer before the Englishman joined Bayern Munich, as someone who had already “proved” his ability. Unable to land the England captain, Ten Hag instead had to settle for 21-year-old Rasmus Hojlund.

The manager said Kane is a striker certain to score 30 goals, while Hojlund needs time and patience to reach those levels. He claimed it is “not fair” to compare him with Kane, saying he is “very happy” with signing the Dane.

Faith in youngsters

Ten Hag highlighted how Red Devils starlets need time to grow, claiming the process of United becoming title contenders once again is “slower” due to the long-term plan in place.

Optimism for future

Ten Hag refused to say anything negative about the United hierarchy that was axed by Ratcliffe after his part-takeover, saying he worked very well with the previous leadership. He did let slip, however, that United “now have a chance” and that he is optimistic for the future.

“I can’t say anything negative about how it was before,” he added.

Staff changes

Despite all the recent changes at the top, Ten Hag insisted he has felt the backing of both leadership teams throughout his tenure. He was adamant that he couldn’t complain about the lack of certainty above him.

“I had the conditions always to work,” he said. “From the first moment I came in I felt the backing from both leadership teams and so I can’t complain about this. Everyone wants to perform and satisfy all the fans. We know what the demands are and we know what the standards, and they are trophies. Bringing trophies in is what this club stands for,” he added.

Game model

Neville brought up the appointment of Southampton’s director of football Jason Wilcox in April, who is tasked with implementing a ‘game model’ at United running all the way up from the academy to the first team.

Ten Hag insisted there is already the grounding for a successful game model in place, highlighted by the need to introduce youngsters like Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho to the first team. He stated, however, that Wilcox will help continuously improve the club in this aspect.

“There is a game model here. How do you think [Alejandro] Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo are able to come up? That’s because it was one of my objectives from the previous leadership team to bring that in,” Ten Hag said.

“It was already going, they were already improving he academy. You can see they won the FA Youth Cup, the academy teams are becoming champions and that is the structure that was laid out a couple of years ago. Now you see some revenues from it, and the best is by bringing players [into] the first team like Kobbie and Garnacho.

INEOS meetings

Ten Hag revealed he has had several meetings with the club’s new INEOS owners since January which have been “good”. He emphasised the speed at which the processes are ongoing behind the scenes with the summer transfer market looming, and the need to take the next step with the squad.

“Initial meetings are good with INEOS,” he said. “I had several meetings from January on. Jason first came in last week and now we have to take things on quickly because the summer is coming and it’s a very important period. Of course, we want to make the next step in our squad and to make plans and en environment that avoids this year’s problems and injuries.”

Style of play

The Dutchman was quizzed on whether he is happy with United’s style of play this season, encapsulated by end-to-end, open football and shoddy defending. He maintained that he is a realistic man and that the current style of play is merely a way of achieving results in the short-term.

He also highlighted how the club tried to gear towards his favoured style of play by bringing in defenders who can play out from the back, a dynamic midfielder in Mason Mount and a goal-scorer in Hojlund. He claimed the desired progress in style has been scuppered by injuries.

“Last year when I came in, you make your adjustments but at the end of the day, it’s about winning games,” Ten Hag said. “From last year, we found a way to make a very successful team.

“This year, we wanted to make the next step. We bought in a goalkeeper who can play out from the back, a dynamic midfielder in Mason Mount – who has been injured all season – and a goalscorer in Hojlund who is young and needed the time. On one hand, we were quite confident we made the right choices and we can make the next step. But all the injuries are coming and we made so many changes in some positions like the back four.

“We’ve now played 47 games and we had 30 combinations in the back four. They weren’t from choices you make, they were forced choices because the players were injured… anyone with even a little bit of knowledge about football, they will know it will have a huge impact.

“We are not where we want to be with the way we want to play, but the headlines are still there because we want to be proactive, be dynamic and we want to play with a high line. That’s what we always aim for.”

He added: “When you have so many changes in the back four, the rules and principles are the same. But the patterns are just not there.”

Reasons for injury crisis

Neville questioned why it is mainly United’s defence which has been decimated by injury this season. Ten Hag put it down to sheer bad luck.

Ajax style of play

Ten Hag was quoted as once saying he could not implement the eye-catching way in which his Ajax sides played at Old Trafford. The 54-year-old stated that was down to needing to recruit players with those specific attributes and not wanting to change “the nature” of his current players. He also highlighted how signing De Jong would have complimented Casemiro’s game.

Shots faced

Having been asked about United facing an unprecedented number of shots at goal this season, Ten Hag once again cited an ever-changing back four as the reason. He mentioned not keeping possession well enough as a reason, highlighting how he needs players who are able to build up from the back.

He refused to back down from his “proactive” principles going forward in favour of defensive tactics even while suffering injuries, meaning United were bound to concede in the process.

End of season assessment

Ten Hag explained that United have two objectives left this season – to defend their (sixth placed) position in the league and to win the FA Cup against Manchester City on May 25.

Message to United fans

In his final message to United fans to end the interview, Ten Hag said: “First of all they know, we are disappointed and frustrated as well. We are in the same boat.

“But we have also shown this season that we can achieve high levels and match the top teams when everyone is on board and we have the squad available. If we can make the next steps in the transfer window, we are confident of stepping up to higher levels.”