Erik Ten Hag has been urged to surround himself with familiar faces at Old Trafford next season.
2008 Champions League winner John O'Shea reckons the new Manchester United manager would benefit from raiding his former club Ajax. The new Red Devils chief is keen to bring Brazil forward Antony with him to Manchester - and more could follow from the Dutch champions.
Ex-Ireland international O’Shea says that’s the right policy as Ten Hag settles into his new role. “There are other players at Ajax who Ten Hag should know very well,” O’Shea told Paddy Power .
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“And you’d hope that if there were certain individuals he thought could settle into the Premier League and Manchester United quickly, then hopefully they can get that over the line. I’m sure that behind the scenes, they’ll be discussing that and hopefully those things can happen quite quickly.”
The Waterford native, who is now on the Ireland Under-21 coaching staff, believes Antony would fit the bill at Old Trafford.
“Despite Manchester United’s interest in Antony, there are other positions that they will focus on, maybe in centre midfield and also at the back,” he said.
“What they’ll be looking at with Antony is the balance of the team. He’s left footed and the wide attackers United already have in Sancho, Rashford and Elanga are all right footed.
“He’ll bring balance into the squad. The manager knows him well and hopefully Erik ten Hag has picked him because he’ll settle in well and be a nice piece in the jigsaw.”
United have also been linked with Christian Eriksen this summer. The Denmark international made his comeback after last year’s shocking European Championships collapse when he signed for Brentford.
His performances during the second half of the season helped the Bees secure their Premier League status with relative comfort. And they also put the 30-year-old on the radar of several clubs, such as United and Tottenham.
However, O’Shea wonders if he is the right man for United at this time.
“When a good player becomes available, they’ll figure out a way to get him in if they can, and if the manager wants him,” he said.
“With Christian Eriksen, they would have had discussions about him. Thankfully, he’s got back to full fitness, and he showed his quality at Brentford last season.
“There’s lots of boxes to be ticked in terms of what he can bring to the team but is he the necessary fit for this team at this time?Manchester United have to weigh up those options.
“Eriksen is a quality player, no one is denying that. But is he the right fit for what Manchester United needs at the moment? That’s up to the manager and the recruitment team.”
One player that O’Shea would like to see at United next year is Manchester City target Kalvin Phillips - although that wouldn’t go down well with Leeds United fans.
“Despite links to Man City, Kalvin Phillips should think about the other side of Manchester,” said O’Shea.
“He has done well for England and really well for Leeds and I know it would create more controversy if he headed for the red side of Manchester but it’s definitely an area that United would be looking at.
“There’s also Declan Rice along with Kalvin Phillips or even N’Golo Kanté. If United could get one of those three in, it’d be a big boost for everyone in the club.”
No matter how many new arrivals there are in the summer, O’Shea has pointed to one area that needs improving, if United are to challenge for honours next season.
“Manchester United have to get away from the individual names of players. The way you become successful is as a group, not as individuals,” he said.
“The majority of the squad will be disappointed with how they performed last season. It’s not about individuals anymore and that’s what the manager will be stressing to them. It’s about the collective. That’s how they’ll be successful.
“If the group does well, individuals will do well off the back of that.”
Meanwhile, O'Shea has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to continue his red-hot scoring streak next year.
“Cristiano Ronaldo will want to be the key man for Manchester United next season,” said the ex-Ireland man.
“But there’ll be discussions and Erik ten Hag said in his first press conference that he’ll have those with Ronaldo in person, rather than telling the media.
“When you see what he does and the goals he brings to the team, having Cristiano there is going to be an asset and I’m sure the new manager will get that across to him. He brings goals and every team wants goals – they’re so crucial.
“Every manager wants new attackers and new signings, but he’ll have Cristiano Ronaldo in his side who can produce hat tricks, winning goals and amazing quality.
“He’ll want to play every game as always and what’s wrong with that? But the manager has to control that and make sure he uses him in the right way.”
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