“We want this club back to where it was more than a decade ago, to a club that wins the Premier League, which can win Champions Leagues," Erik ten Hag said in an interview with Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad last week. "We are really a long way away from that, I think."
Heading into the third season of his reign, the Manchester United manager is still desperately trying to temper expectations among a fanbase starved of tangible success over the past 10 years. It could be argued that the Red Devils are no better off now than when Ten Hag initially joined the club from Ajax in 2022, with an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League last term representing an all-time low. He has, however, somehow managed to convince Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS that he is the right man to lead their revolution.
The minority owners have handed Ten Hag a new two-year deal, mainly as a reward for his role in the development of United's younger players and May's unlikely FA Cup triumph over noisy neighbours Manchester City. But as we all know, new contracts don't serve as a security blanket for managers in the modern era. If United don't hit the ground running in 2024-25, Ten Hag's future will once again be called into question.
To keep the wolves from his door, the 54-year-old has to settle on his strongest line up, and the biggest conundrum he faces is in wide areas. United's 2-0 pre-season win over Rangers on Saturday could go a long way to making the decision process easier, though, with Amad Diallo and Jadon Sancho both reminding everyone of their frightening potential - to varying degrees.