Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has acknowledged the stark reality laid bare by his predecessor, Ralf Rangnick. Ten Hag, who recently secured a contract extension, hailed Rangnick’s “open-heart surgery” analogy as “absolutely right.”
Rangnick, now managing Austria, had a tumultuous seven-month spell at United, guiding them to a disappointing sixth-place finish. The German coach, known for his blunt honesty, publicly stated the club needed a major overhaul, not “minor changes.”
Ten Hag, seemingly echoing these sentiments, confessed to Dutch newspaper AD Sportwereld, “Rangnick was absolutely right. We have been working very hard on this for two years, but he said it exactly right: it is a thorough, very complex operation. And I knew when I started that it was going to be a tough job.”
United’s transformation goes beyond the pitch. Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s significant investment in December, the club has undergone a boardroom reshuffle, welcoming figures like Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth. Moreover, a £50 million commitment has been pledged to revamp the training facilities.
On the player front, United have bolstered their ranks with the signings of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro. The Red Devils’ pursuit of Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt is no secret either, with Ten Hag confirming his interest.
“It remains to be seen whether De Ligt will come,” Ten Hag admitted. “Of course I know Matthijs well, I’m not going to deny that. I wanted to sign him two years ago, but he had already gone a long way with Bayern Munich.”
Interestingly, Ten Hag revealed it was the club’s scouting department who identified de Ligt as a target, not a personal push from him despite their Ajax connection.
There’s also positive news for Jadon Sancho. The forward, who last played for United in August 2023 and spent the latter half of the season on loan at Dortmund, is back in the fold according to Ten Hag. “Everyone can make a mistake,” Ten Hag said forgivingly.
With a revamped boardroom, a renewed training ground, and potential signings like de Ligt on the horizon, Manchester United seem intent on heeding Rangnick’s call for major surgery. Whether Ten Hag’s two-year “operation” will be successful in propelling United back to the top remains to be seen, but the Dutchman seems to be operating with a clear vision and a dose of necessary realism.
