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Man Utd set to defy players with Erik ten Hag appointment

Manchester United are set to defy players with the upcoming appointment of Erik Ten Hag as their permanent manager, Manchester Evening News reports.

The Red Devils reached a verbal agreement with Ten Hag earlier yesterday, but a formal announcement could be delayed until after Ajax’s Dutch Cup final against PSV Eindhoven.

Ten Hag will officially take charge from July 1, but the hierarchy are expected to start discussing summer plans with the Dutchman, who will have the complete backing.

It is now reported that the board have decided to defy players with the decision on Ten Hag. The majority of the squad are believed to have preferred Mauricio Pochettino.

Earlier this campaign, Antonio Conte was being considered to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but it did not materialise after Cristiano Ronaldo’s own reservations over the Italian.

The decision has been one to regret. Conte took charge of Tottenham Hotspur in November and he has now put Spurs in pole position to secure the fourth spot in the league.

Our view:

Ten Hag has verbally agreed to take charge at United after receiving assurances that he would be involved in making the ‘important decisions‘ for the club going forward.

That could be primarily related to the transfer activity this summer. The 52-year-old should have the authority to decline undesirable targets while offloading players that may not suit him.

The future of Ronaldo could be one of the main discussion points. The Portuguese may not be playing in the Champions League for the first time in nearly two decades.

He previously played in the Europa League (previously known as UEFA Cup) as a 17-year-old for Sporting. It remains to be seen whether he would accept such a prospect.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag prefers to play high-intensity football. A number of players in the squad are not suited, having struggled to adapt to a similar style under Ralf Rangnick.

There should be a spending spree this summer as Ten Hag will want players of his own, but this may coincide with few high-profile exits to recoup some of the transfer fees.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com