Even though the Man United takeover seems to have stalled, Erik ten Hag has still been a major player in the transfer window and, with the possible exception of Harry Kane who was unlikely to ever be sold to a Premier League rival by Daniel Levy in any event, the Dutchman has landed his major targets.
Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund are all stellar recruits, and if ten Hag can integrate them as he expects, the Red Devils could take some stopping in 2023/24.
There’s a long, long way to go of course, and injuries and loss of form to key players can all dictate how the season ends up.
Ten Hag can control a decent portion of things but not everything, and it’s the unexpected quirks during a campaign that can often derail the pursuit of success.
Not to mention that the manager will be under added pressure to deliver.
‘Given takeover uncertainty and Financial Fair Play constraints, Erik ten Hag will be delighted with the transfer window so far,’ journalist, Ben Jacobs, wrote in his exclusive CaughtOffside Substack.
‘[…] Manchester United look stronger than last season on paper. However, there is also more pressure on them compared to Newcastle to qualify for the Champions League. Luckily, they have plenty of experience in the squad.’
For his debut season in the Premier League, things couldn’t really have gone much better for ten Hag, and he’s unlikely to deviate from a way of working that has brought him demonstrable success firstly at Ajax and, to an extent, at United in 2022/23.
There is plenty of room for growth in the squad and the pressure should be something that’s exciting for the players and staff because it means that things are heading in the right direction.