EXCLUSIVE: Ten Hag recruitment may cost Man Utd job as Ineos plan for future

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 30 Jan 2024 10:41 GMT
• 4 min read

Exclusive

Ineos already have replacements for Erik ten Hag in mind ahead of the end of the season, though no talks are underway at this stage, FootballTransfers understands.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's consortium is baffled but the recruitment made by the Dutchman and believe that a fresh start is needed in the summer. We are told that there are major concerns about the players who have been bought in by Ten Hag - and even more about why they were chosen. The ambition is to strip the Dutchman of any power when it comes to transfers, with a lot of his deals going through agency SEG.

The exit of Jurgen Klopp in the summer window has hastened the need for a fresh face in the dugout, with it being possible that the Reds will be competing for similar names. Despite reports that the group does not see this season as a write-off, it would take a big uptick in displays to see Ten Hag at the helm come the end of the season. Man Utd are unlikely to reach a Champions League spot this season and there is the feeling that a revamp is needed.

It's believed that the only good purchases made by Ten Hag, withstanding this season - such as Casemiro and Christian Eriksen - were very obvious choices. There is a want to bring in young English talent and merge that with experienced Premier League players while ensuring that the club does not overpay. Ineos know Man Utd's reputation of being overzealous with funds must be smashed.

Ineos will look to fortify Man Utd's financial position this year by injecting personal funds into the club this year, a move that would allow an increase in allowable losses from £15million to £105m over this accounting period.

This is expected to provide Man Utd with a substantial boost in its spending capabilities this year, potentially allowing the club to invest between £200m-300m million on player acquisitions - though the actual amount will vary depending on qualification for UCL or Europa League.

As previously reported, Michael Olise and Jarrad Branthwaite are among the top targets, along with Marcus Edwards who is seen as a viable replacement for Antony for the first-team.

Erik ten Hag's talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe

It comes after Ten Hag refused to talk about what he and Ratcliffe have discussed in private conversations following the British billionaire's 25 per cent stake in the club.

“We speak about many subjects but I can't go into detail, especially when it is so personal," he said. “First, the most important thing is the club. It's about the club, about the team and how we have to work to high standards to achieve our targets. It's not about any individual person.

“When you're involved in top-level football I think you know that you have to prove yourself every day – and that counts for everyone who is working for this club," the manager said.”