Erik ten Hag has been told that he is ‘late to the party’ ahead of Manchester United’s slow start to proceedings this season – with the club having fallen further behind their top six competitors so far this season.
Ten Hag was announced as manager towards the end of the season and came into the club’s control on July 1.
The Dutchman has so far signed Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia in his tenure as he aims to strengthen in areas that United have been lacking over the seasons.
But where he has strengthened has not really improved the team at all.
Malacia has come in for the departing Alex Telles in a like-for-like swap, and whilst Eriksen has improved the midfield creativity ever so slightly, it is the other end of defence that the Red Devils should be looking to solve.
Martinez adds some form of steel in defence, although not the type that United crave; and with Champions League contenders Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea all strengthening in key areas whilst Liverpool and Manchester City continue to press on in the market, United are still languishing behind.
Frenkie de Jong could yet move to Chelsea with talks over a move to United having dragged on for weeks, and with no improvement to their steeliness in midfield, ex-Blues winger Florent Malouda has aired his concerns for Ten Hag with the Dutchman ‘late to the party’ in terms of strengthening his squad.
“It’s really strange when it comes to Manchester United at the moment. When you look at the value of all of the players they have at the club, there’s some real quality in there. But they’re just completely lacking in confidence, and that lack in confidence comes from the lack of results. If you look at their squad, they have some top players and great prospects,” Malouda told Ladbrokes [as relayed by the Daily Mirror).
“But every time a manager comes in, he’s immediately in the hot seat. There’s immediate pressure to get the club back to the highest level, but in terms of results, things have been shaky. And even if you wanted to go out and strengthen, even if you had money to spend, it’s not always easy to just go out and bring the best players in; we’re seeing that with Frenkie de Jong.
“It’s going to be difficult for them to finish in the top five, put it that way. They’re already late to the party this season; they were early in bringing in the manager, but with the way pre-season has gone, and the poor start they had to the season means, for me, they will struggle to finish in that top five.
“All the other top teams have been very busy in the transfer market, have had decent pre-seasons and show a certain level of stability. I just don’t see that with Man United this season.”
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The Red Devils will have to seriously buck their ideas up if they are to even attempt to mount a European challenge this season.