Manchester United have set their stall out early ahead of this summer’s transfer window, with Erik ten Hag using his contacts to try and resolve a long-standing problem at Old Trafford.
It has of course been a wretched season for the Reds, and as Ten Hag arrives in Manchester, he’ll be tasked with overseeing a major rebuild. It’s clear which area United are targeting first, having identified the midfield as their priority.
With that in mind, Ten Hag looks to have what he believes could be the perfect solution. United have already made their first steps in their pursuit of Frenkie de Jong, with the club having made contact with Barcelona over the availability of the former Ajax star.
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Ten Hag of course knows exactly what the 25-year-old can bring, having worked with him during their time together in Amsterdam. United fans will be hoping it’s something they’ve been missing for years – a true midfield dictator.
The Reds last signed a true midfield maestro in 2015, when Bastian Schweinsteiger made the move over from Bayern Munich. Of course, the transfer never truly worked out, with the German often out injured before he left midway through the 2016/17 campaign.
Since then, United have failed to address the absence of a true dictator in the middle of the park. A slick passer who will set the tone for them, and get them flowing freely.
They have of course made signings in midfield, but none have truly fit the bill. Nemanja Matic, Fred, Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek were all brought in for different reasons, and none can quite claim to have worked out in any case.
As they head into another new era under Ten Hag then, they have the chance to rectify their seven-year mistake. With Pogba and Matic, among others, set to depart, they have little choice but to do so.
De Jong looks to be the man the Reds and Ten Hag have identified as being the solution. All of the noise coming out of the Nou Camp is that there is every possibility the Netherlands international could be sold this summer, which could play into United’s hands.
Of course, the player himself will need to be convinced United is the right place for him to make a move to. With Ten Hag in place, he can at least be confident of having a manager in charge that knows how to get the best out of him.
This season has made it abundantly clear United have made a mistake by not addressing their problems in midfield over the years. Ten Hag now has the chance to fix things.
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