The writing was on the wall for Jose Mourinho at Manchester United during the Reds' summer tour of the US.
Overall, the mood around the camp is set by the manager and in United's case in 2018, that atmosphere was moody. Mourinho's opinion of the trip was low already.
United's tour line-up was a muddle of different players and did not resemble the squad that was due to take to the field in the Premier League in the campaign to come. Just five men on the tour made more than 20 appearances that season, highlighting how 'weak' the team that faced Club America, San Jose Earthquakes, AC Milan, Liverpool and Real Madrid was.
ALSO READ: Ten Hag can repeat Guardiola trick to decide dilemma
Part of the blame for this was due to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. England's lengthy involvement meant that many senior members of the squad were missing and they would be replaced by a higher percentage of youth-level players in America.
But, on several occasions, Mourinho made the case that the boardroom was not giving him the means to invest in the squad. On July 24, the Portuguese manager said on transfers: "One thing is what I would like. Another thing is what is going to happen."
Four days later, Mourinho expanded on those comments: "I would like to have two more players. I think I am not going to have two.
"I think it's possible I am going to have one. It's possible.
"I gave a list to the club of five names a few months ago and I wait to see if it is possible to have one of these players. If it is possible it is possible, if it is not possible it is not possible.
"If it is possible, good, if it is not possible we keep fighting, working and believing in the players that we have."
The relationship between the board and manager on transfers is often tense, no matter the football club. United have been testament to that over the years.
However, under Erik ten Hag, we have seen that perhaps this dynamic between the boardroom and manager is beginning to shift. If we were to look back at last summer, Ten Hag was certainly backed to bring in the players that he wanted.
Lisandro Martinez's capture was proof of this as the former Ajax man broke the mould when it came to recent signings.
He was not an established name, instead he was someone that Ten Hag trusted to do a job in the Premier League despite calls from elsewhere that he did not have the physical presence for England. Those criticisms now appear laughable as the Argentine's performances quickly proved his boss right.
Thanks to how well the vast majority of Ten Hag's new signings have played, it is now likely he will be backed once again in the summer no matter who is in the boardroom. Of course, a striker will be top of the manager's wishlist at the end of the season and, should he get his man, there is unlikely to be a repeat of Mourinho's complaints.
It is clear that while progress has been made from 2018 to 2023 in terms of manager control of signings, there is still work to be done. United's January was underwhelming with Wout Weghorst's arrival being seen as a stop-gap.
But, unlike in 2018, Ten Hag has a voice at the table and hopefully by the time United travel across the pond, the Reds' squad will be strong for both the pre-season and the subsequent campaign that follows.
READ NEXT:
