Manchester United are about to embark on their 2024 summer tour of the United States. This is a crucial time for manager Erik ten Hag to address the issues at the Red Devils in preparation for the new season.
REAFFIRMING POWER
Ten Hag’s main focus when taking the job at United in 2022 was to exert power over the squad and impose discipline that he believed had slipped over time. The Dutchman has won big matches with Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford, but over the past six months he has seen his iron discipline gradually loosen. The players knew Ten Hag was likely to be sacked after the FA Cup final.
Then, just weeks after confirming Ten Hag would continue to lead United, Jadon Sancho was allowed to return. The England international was exiled after a public row with Ten Hag last September. However, Sancho has been reintegrated, despite no word from either side that he has apologised. From this, it can be seen that Ten Hag is becoming more lenient and he clearly needs to reassert his authority.
DECIDING WHICH PLAYERS LEAVE THE CLUB
Striker Joshua Zirkzee and defender Leny Yoro have arrived to replace Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane. However, to raise the budget for signings, United will need to sell players. Ideally, Ten Hag would like to add a centre-back, a central midfielder and a right-back, but he will have to make room in the United squad first.
Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Antony, Sancho, Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen, Hannibal Mejbri and Casemiro have all returned to first-team training. While not all of them, at least a few will need to leave Old Trafford. Ten Hag will have to make the final decision on who can leave, and then let the board do the talking.
United have not been efficient in selling players in the past, despite their summer signings representing a welcome change in policy and process. That will have to change in the summer of 2024 if they are to complete a major overhaul of their squad.
RASHFORD RENOVATION
United finished third in the Premier League in 2022/23 – thanks in part to Rashford’s 17 league goals and 30 in all competitions. Last season, Rashford contributed 8 goals in 43 appearances. Rasmus Hojlund is still young while Zirkzee is a new signing, which means Rashford will have to shoulder the goalscoring burden again.
Last season, Rashford was a shadow of his former self but has shown his readiness to return to his best form by returning early in pre-season training. Missing the Rangers friendly through injury is a concern because Ten Hag needs Rashford to stay fit first. United were the lowest scorers in the Premier League top 10 last season with 57 goals, 39 fewer than Man City, and that needs to be fixed quickly.
BUY A RIGHT WINGER
Ten Hag have a few players who can play on the right wing, but not everyone likes to do it. Rashford, Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho all want to play on the left, while Antony – who prefers to play on the right so he can cut inside and finish with his left foot – has been a handful since joining United for £85m two years ago.
Facundo Pellistri is a natural right-winger, but his ability has never been reassuring. Many fans would like to see Amad Diallo get more first-team football, especially after seeing the Ivory Coast international score a fine goal in the 2-0 friendly win over Rangers recently. Granted, Diallo can shine, but is he enough?
The right-winger position has been a problem for United since before Ten Hag arrived, and it is a key issue for him to address.
AVOID THE SAME MISTAKE
Ten Hag has always told the media that United’s biggest problem last season was the number of injuries to key players, and he’s right. Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez barely played, while Mason Mount, Hojlund and Rashford were all sidelined for long periods.
Ten Hag insists it was bad luck, and while there’s some truth to that, the British press has reported that some players believe the problem started in pre-season because they felt overworked. It’s important for United’s players to build up their fitness in pre-season, but it’s also important that they don’t feel burnt out before the new season starts.
