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Special report: Man UnitedPeter Bosz exclusiveThe tragedy of Wayne Harrison
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SPECIAL REPORT: INSIDE THE MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL OPERATION INEOS STANDS TO
INHERIT

Laurie Whitwell
Dec 22, 2023

After Erik ten Hag agreed to take charge of Manchester United, he set aside a
couple of hours each week away from managing Ajax to discuss the shape of the
squad he would inherit in England.

He wanted to get a head start on recruitment and spoke to United’s football
director John Murtough about the types of players he would like waiting for him
when he officially began work. Ten Hag asked for a midfielder in the mould of
Frenkie de Jong, an established centre-forward, and a left-footed centre-back.

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Agents contacted in that period, however, paint a picture of a club acting
without an established plan. It transpired that, although United use a
tailormade scouting database containing thousands of reports, nobody had
assembled a so-called “shadow squad” of potential signings in each position, as
is customary at clubs across the football pyramid. United were starting from
scratch, rather than having potential deals lined up.

Murtough does now have a thick dossier that outlines targets for each position,
categorising them by levels of quality based on scouting reports and data, as
well as detailing their expected cost. But that uncertainty at the start
emboldened Ten Hag to take matters into his own hands in certain circumstances,
such as when Murtough returned with a list of centre-backs that included Ajax’s
Lisandro Martinez. Josko Gvardiol, Alessandro Bastoni and Pau Torres were also
discussed but Ten Hag preferred Martinez, partially due to their established
relationship and the player’s attainability, but also because he was seen as the
most suitable of the targets. Martinez understood Ten Hag’s way of working, so
had merit as the first piece in his jigsaw, and Murtough, seen by some former
colleagues as an administrator rather than a visionary, acquiesced.



GO DEEPER

Lisandro Martinez: Why Manchester United pushed hard to beat Arsenal to £55m
deal



By the time the 2022-23 campaign kicked off, Ten Hag’s two other signings were
Tyrell Malacia, a deputy left-back, and Christian Eriksen, a No 10 on a free
transfer.

United were still pursuing a forlorn bid for De Jong, having agreed an
€85million (£73m; $93m) fee with Barcelona. Yet, although five experienced
players had left the squad at the end of their contracts — Paul Pogba, Jesse
Lingard, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata and Edinson Cavani — and Andreas Pereira had
been sold to Fulham for £10million, Ten Hag was informed there was no further
money to spend in the summer of 2022.

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Then United lost to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, and panic spread.
Chief executive Richard Arnold became more visible around Carrington and sat in
on a lengthy recruitment meeting following the 2-1 defeat by Brighton at Old
Trafford. It was then that staff decided to pivot from De Jong to Casemiro.

The decision to go for Casemiro, a different profile of midfielder to De Jong,
was taken despite some internal resistance. It was calculated that signing
Declan Rice from West Ham United for £120million, as an example, would have been
better for United’s long-term financial-fair-play (FFP) prospects than bringing
in Casemiro, then aged 30, for half the fee. Rice’s salary would have been
significantly smaller than Casemiro’s earnings of around £350,000 per week and
he could have signed a longer contract owing to his age, meaning the cost could
have been amortised — or spread out — in the accounts over a longer period.
Rice, then aged 23, also had potential resale value.

The Casemiro deal from Real Madrid is one Sir Jim Ratcliffe questioned during
his tour of Carrington in March and, as the British billionaire puts the
finishing touches on his 25 per cent investment into United, which gives him
control of sporting matters, he is tasking INEOS’ director of sport Sir Dave
Brailsford with auditing the club’s processes and personnel.

Here, we will detail many of the aspects Brailsford’s work will explore,
including:

 * How Murtough came through ruptures with Sir Alex Ferguson and Nicky Butt to
   assume his position
 * The friction that still exists between people with United heritage and new
   hires
 * The nickname created because of slow processes at the club
 * Why chance has played a role in several signings despite claims of a
   ‘scientific’ process
 * The level of Ten Hag’s responsibility for targets and performances on the
   pitch


(Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Casemiro deal, worth £60m plus £10m in add-ons, ended United’s hopes of a
move for Harry Kane this summer because the England striker’s wages would have
been too great to work into FFP regulations. Kane was Ten Hag’s top choice at
centre-forward but United never considered a genuine approach.

United went for Casemiro because Ten Hag needed an immediate impact and he was
available having decided to leave Real Madrid after nine years. United’s
football department mapped out how he would fit in the team, delved into his
injury record, and came to a unanimous decision to proceed. At the time, West
Ham were refusing to entertain offers for Rice and Ten Hag did not want to wait.
Casemiro enjoyed an excellent debut campaign, playing a career-high 51 games,
but has looked short of his best this season and has been out with a hamstring
injury since November 1.

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One source with knowledge of the process — who, like others in this article, is
speaking on condition of anonymity to protect their position — believes a year’s
work was crammed into three months in Ten Hag’s first summer. Rather than
starting conversations on signings in September 2021, after the previous window
had closed, United began that work in May 2022, the justification being that a
new manager — with Ten Hag replacing interim manager Ralf Rangnick — meant new
plans. Action sped up even further as the summer transfer deadline approached,
with Ten Hag anxious for a stronger midfield.

Separately, Ten Hag felt he needed an additional attacker and though he had
reservations about returning to Ajax, the target to gain universal agreement was
Antony.

Under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United’s scouts had made reports
that left staff valuing Antony at around £25m. Midway through the summer of
2022, United cut off talks with Ajax and privately communicated they would not
pay more than £60m.

In the final days of the window, with desperation around Old Trafford heightened
and Ten Hag pressing for reinforcements, United agreed a fee of £86m (€95m
guaranteed plus €5m add-ons). Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar later told
The Athletic he had “challenged” Arnold and Murtough to “go as far as possible”
at a time when the Dutch club had already sold several first-team players.

Ten Hag undoubtedly wanted to sign Antony, but sanctioning the outlay came from
above. Those with an understanding of United’s structure say several directors
are involved in “checks and balances” during a transfer window, including chief
financial officer Cliff Baty and general counsel Patrick Stewart, who is now
interim chief executive, which leads to slower progress on negotiations. Joel
Glazer, based in the US, adds a final layer of sign-off.



GO DEEPER

Who is Manchester United's incoming chief executive Patrick Stewart?



But ultimately the system falters because, at crucial moments, United can decide
to pay over the odds for a player and break their budget. Sources insist there
is nobody at the club skilled at assessing a player’s worth who also has
authority on spending and can take a holistic view of squad building.

The cost of Ten Hag’s first summer meant United were on the brink with FFP
regulations and January signings were limited to loans. However, rather than
delve into the scouting database for solutions, many of their transfers appeared
to be coincidental.



Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in November 2022 left a big hole at
centre-forward. United initially pursued a move for Cody Gakpo, who had enjoyed
a good World Cup and shared the same agency as Ten Hag, SEG International. PSV
Eindhoven were open to selling.

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A few days before Christmas, however, United pulled the plug on any permanent
moves, deciding that only loans were possible. With his options limited, Ten Hag
identified compatriot Wout Weghorst because he wanted a striker who could join
as soon as the window opened. United paid Besiktas £2.5m to cancel his loan in
Turkey and signed Weghorst, who scored two goals in 20 games at Burnley the
previous season, on January 13. He went on to start 19 consecutive games.


(Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Then, when Eriksen got injured on January 28, the manager eyed a deadline-day
move for Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich. Bayern insisted Gravenberch was
unavailable for loan, but proposed Marcel Sabitzer instead, an idea Ten Hag
liked. United had historical scouting reports on Sabitzer but only went for him
through circumstance rather than design. United argue this is an example of
their dexterity, with a deal sorted in three hours once talks began in earnest.

Bayern took calls from Kees Vos, Ten Hag’s agent, once the extent of Eriksen’s
injury became known. Vos, a co-founder of SEG, has been a visible presence
around United since Ten Hag’s appointment, attending games in the Old Trafford
directors’ box and visiting Carrington for meetings. He has been seen in the
training-ground canteen where players eat, access some staff have questioned.
United are conscious of potential conflicts of interest but are satisfied with
an arrangement that assists their ability to assess the market.

In the summer of 2022, Vos, who had arranged Robin van Persie’s move to United
10 years earlier, was arguably the most experienced transfer facilitator around
the club, with Murtough in his first window as football director. Tom Keane, an
established agent, was head of negotiations on secondment from law firm
Brandsmiths following the departure of Matt Judge. Andy O’Boyle started work as
deputy football director that July after leaving the Premier League. Dominic
Jordan became United’s first director of data science that March, having spent
the previous two years at N Brown Group, an online fashion retailer.

That new configuration left United playing catch-up and Ten Hag leaning on Vos
for support — mindful, some suspect, of the transfer experiences of previous
managers.

Ten Hag’s second summer followed a similar pattern of flexible plans, inflated
prices, and broken budgets. United ended up committing nearly £200m on Mason
Mount, Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund, Altay Bayindir and Sofyan Amrabat, despite
initially communicating internally that spending would be seriously restricted.
Had the eventual scope of finance been known in advance, sources believe Ten Hag
may have assigned the money differently, although he accepted landing Kane would
have left little cash for any other players. United feel they strengthened the
team in nearly every area required and took a long-term view by buying younger
players (Hojlund, 20; Mount, 24; Onana, 27).

Internally, the price set for Mount was £40m because he had only a year left on
his Chelsea contract, but that was the first offer Chelsea received. United’s
bidding rose 50 per cent to a total of £55m plus £5m in add-ons. If the full
£60m is realised, United will be delighted, however, as they will make a £1m
payment every time Mount plays 70 per cent of games in a title-winning campaign
during his five-year contract.

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Atalanta had told Hojlund he could leave for £50m, and United communicated they
would draw the line at £60m, but then agreed a fee worth £72m during all-day
talks in Bergamo that lasted until 3am. Atalanta had demanded £86m for a player
they signed for less than £15m just 11 months earlier.

Onana signed from Inter for £47m, a year after leaving Ajax on a free. United
agreed to pay Fiorentina an £8m loan fee for Amrabat, in part so the purchase
clause was optional rather than obligatory.

Once again, all those millions have pushed United close to the line on the
regulatory caps set by the Premier League and UEFA, meaning the maximum number
of deals possible this January is two loans, according to internal
communications.

Considering United’s revenues for 2022-23 totalled a record £648.4m, it is
regarded as some achievement that the club are in this predicament. United lost
£28.7m last season.

An issue over several seasons has been a lack of link from one market to the
next. There has been no overarching recruitment concept that has survived
managerial changes. Critics also argue United are unable to leverage established
industry relationships for better value and do not proactively cultivate the
type of information-gathering that could give them an edge.

This is compounded by frequent personnel changes. Staff built up a rapport with
Keane, who was offered a long-term position, but his impending appointment was
cancelled amid the financial uncertainty of the strategic review and so, this
summer, Matt Hargreaves stepped in as head of football negotiations in a
permanent role. Hargreaves was hired from Adidas, where he had good commercial
relationships with players and agents, but had not executed transfers before.

There are inconsistencies even within a window too. During the summer, for
instance, United went first for Mount because they feared Chelsea would
otherwise sell different players to alleviate their FFP concerns, and Arsenal
and Liverpool were in for him too. Observers regarded that as a jumbled strategy
when a new striker was the priority.

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Responsibility for instilling greater methodology and value for money falls to
Ratcliffe, who will task Brailsford with investigating processes and
recommending improvements. Industry sources say Brailsford is aiming to appoint
a sporting director to oversee operations as well as a transfer specialist to
refine recruitment. This has been interpreted by some as terminal for Murtough,
and some people at the club anticipate his departure eventually, but sources
insist no decision has yet been made.

Unlike Arnold, who agreed to walk away as chief executive owing to the changing
ownership structure and issues with co-chairman Joel Glazer, Murtough has no
intention of stepping aside. He has made clear his openness to staying and
working with INEOS as part of a revised structure that could see his authority
reduced, which former and current colleagues say is characteristic of a shrewd
political operator.

Murtough is seen by those who have worked with him as a great survivor, more
amenable and less egotistic than other executives in his position who would
reject operating under a new regime. One leading agent, not known for handing
out easy praise, says Murtough is courteous and good to deal with. That range of
views helps explain Murtough’s presence this month at Old Trafford alongside
Stewart for meetings with Brailsford and INEOS sporting director Jean-Claude
Blanc. The feeling was those meetings went well.



GO DEEPER

What can Man Utd learn about INEOS from their sports empire?



Murtough has also been in Saudi Arabia with Hargreaves to establish connections
before a January window that would see United open to offers for Casemiro,
Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial.

Initial feedback from these talks is that while contacts have been established,
Saudi club squads are full and greatly restricted on signings due to
regulations, leaving some close to United believing this work should have been
done earlier in the year to take advantage of the boom during the summer.


Casemiro was signed after United’s poor start to last season (Glyn Kirk/AFP via
Getty Images)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To understand how United’s structure came to be shaped this way with these
personnel, it is necessary to rewind to the David Moyes era.

That is when Murtough entered the club in December 2013, a hire by the
then-United manager because he wanted administrative support. Moyes had worked
with Murtough at Everton and felt he was somebody he could rely on when stepping
into the control room of a vast machine with several unpredictable parts.

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Murtough had got close to Moyes over a couple of spells at Goodison Park,
assisting on all manner of things including logistics, sports science and
recruitment. At United, Murtough earned the trust of Ed Woodward, the executive
vice-chairman, by offering a sober perspective in a tumultuous time. Woodward
had taken over from David Gill as the top official at United and was finding out
the hard way that running the football operation was much more difficult than
steering the club’s commercial growth.

Murtough noticed Woodward struggling to get to grips with the transition, so he
kept minutes of meetings and collated the information into easy-to-read
documents. Murtough was an expert at regulations, having been central to the
implementation of the Elite Player Performance Plan when working at the Premier
League, and he assisted Woodward’s knowledge of granular details around the
game.

Woodward also wanted the departments at Carrington revamped and Murtough noted
possible changes in a little black book while walking around the training ground
and talking to staff. For those on the ground, the line of communication to
Woodward went through Murtough.

Murtough also struck up a good rapport with Woodward’s boss. When Joel Glazer
flew in from the United States to go to a game, Murtough impressed with his
thoughts on United.

There was, however, one influential person at the club who did not warm to
Murtough: Sir Alex Ferguson. The tension between the pair exists to this day.
One of the early issues related to Murtough surviving Moyes, the man who had
brought him to the club, and growing influential after his sacking in April
2014.

As Ferguson’s authority at the club he had managed for 26 years began to
subside, Murtough’s power grew. Woodward appointed him as head of football
development in 2016 and asked him to reshape United’s recruitment system and
academy setup.


Woodward, pictured in 2019 (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

The task was codenamed Project Bethlehem and change swept the club. Murtough
hired Steve Brown, having worked with him at Everton, and they ran a bespoke
database of players called TrackerMan, from which Woodward proudly said United
had reviewed 804 right-backs to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Brown’s job has at times
been communicated as head of recruitment, but his title internally is now
director of scouting and his brief is to organise scouts and collate reports
rather than pass judgments on players himself.

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A schism opened up at the club between the old guard and the new order. Some
departing staff alleged they were pushed out for speaking against what they felt
was a shift away from what had made the club so successful. They also questioned
what qualified Murtough and Brown to oversee such a major restructuring at a
club the size of United.

In July 2019 Nicky Butt switched from head of academy to a newly created
position as head of first-team development, with Nick Cox taking over the
running of the youth department. This happened after a blazing row between Butt
and Murtough in the canteen at Carrington.

The pair had long had disagreements on various issues, but matters erupted when
Butt discovered Murtough told a colleague he planned to move him out of his
position by the end of the season. Butt was furious at what he saw as a secret
plot.

Murtough declined to comment for this article. Those close to him dispute the
severity of the argument but acknowledge that tensions arose from what they
describe as a misunderstanding over a proposed reorganisation of academy
administration in which Butt would still have had a role. Murtough has told
colleagues of his respect for Butt and his sadness at the breakdown in
relations.

Butt was adamant though. He had recognised Cox’s abilities suited the
requirements of a head of academy more than his and was happy to vacate the job,
but he regarded Murtough determining the move without his input as hugely
disrespectful. Butt told Murtough this during a heated altercation, finishing by
stating he wanted no further communication and walking off. Murtough followed in
pursuit to give his arguments.



GO DEEPER

Nicky Butt exclusive: Why he left Man United, how their youth system fell behind
and learning from Mourinho



There were also tempestuous scenes involving Murtough and Ferguson. United’s
greatest manager was enlisted by Solskjaer to assist on the charm offensive for
the Carrington visit of Birmingham City midfielder Jude Bellingham in March
2020. Solskjaer and his assistants had prepared an analytical presentation to
prove Bellingham’s prospects in the first team, as well as compiling detailed
personal reports, and felt Ferguson would add a glamorous finish.

Murtough had a different view of how to approach the sales pitch, however.
Ferguson shook hands with Bellingham, 16 at the time, but rather than allow them
time to talk, sources say Murtough guided the player and his parents out of the
room for a tour of the facilities. Ferguson was reportedly incandescent at the
perceived slight and said so to Murtough’s face at a later date. Murtough has
told people he did not interrupt the meeting and that, as with the Butt
fall-out, any tension was the result of a misunderstanding.

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As time went on, Murtough’s influence became obvious to staff in Manchester. He
effectively became the highest football executive at Carrington, with Woodward
working from London. Murtough was the man responsible for signing off many
developments at the training ground, but often there were delays and, in some
cases, no answers at all. Colleagues were informed getting feedback from the
Glazers, with Woodward another layer, caused a backlog.

Whatever the reasons, slow progress on several projects led some at the club to
describe the in-tray on Murtough’s desk as “The Black Hole”. Several critics
describe Murtough as reluctant to make decisions, while there have been
occasions when staff struggle to pinpoint accountability on certain calls.

At other times, things would happen quickly. Amad Diallo, an 18-year-old with 24
minutes of senior football, joined from Atalanta for a fee potentially rising to
£37m in the summer of 2020. Murtough worked on the deal, flying out to Bergamo
and then spending two weeks in a makeshift office in his garage as a quarantine
for Covid-19 regulations. Solskjaer had given his blessing to the signing 48
hours before the announcement, having watched some video footage, but he was
unaware of the significant fee, which rose dramatically from when prospective
buyers enquired at Atalanta earlier that year.

Solskjaer initially believed Amad, an exciting talent, was an academy player but
realised after the move was finalised that the money involved meant he was
expected to soon feature in the first team.

A few months later, Murtough himself was officially promoted to a senior level.
In March 2021, Woodward announced Murtough as United’s first football director,
alongside Darren Fletcher as technical director.


Murtough (left) and Darren Fletcher in 2021 (Photo: Ash Donelon/Manchester
United via Getty Images)

The hunt for such an important position had started when Jose Mourinho was in
charge but after a process lasting more than two and a half years, with several
major European executives linked, the appointments came from within and happened
suddenly.

The trigger, according to sources, was the offer to Murtough of a role at Inter
Miami.

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David Beckham’s Major League Soccer franchise used Mike Forde as a consultant on
shaping the club via his Sportsology company. Forde, director of football
operations at Chelsea between 2007 and 2013, had a relationship with Murtough
and recommended him for a leading role in Florida. (The pair are long-term close
friends after meeting at Liverpool John Moores University, with Forde acting as
best man at Murtough’s wedding this year.)

Murtough informed Woodward of his intentions to leave and replied, when asked,
that the only way he would stay was by gaining the job that had been so long
advertised, if never properly defined.

Woodward told colleagues that Joel Glazer had intervened to impress on him the
need for Murtough’s promotion so he was not lost to Inter Miami. Woodward
appreciated the difficulty of selling Murtough’s appointment to fans
anticipating an established sporting executive, so combined the announcement
with making Fletcher United’s first technical director.

Fletcher is a highly respected figure in football, a graduate of United’s
academy and winner of several major trophies, but the move spread surprise
because he had only joined the first-team coaching staff two months earlier and
had no experience in the role he was taking on.

Sources say Woodward felt it important for public perception to have somebody
alongside Murtough with a rich United history, but knew he could not give the
job to Butt due to their rift. Butt, having worked his way up after returning as
a coach in 2012, was aggrieved to be overlooked and also because the brief
outlined for Fletcher covered many of his responsibilities on youth development.
Butt had a meeting with Woodward to express his thoughts and, despite attempts
to persuade him otherwise, he handed in his notice.

In practice, the roles of Murtough and Fletcher have never been completely
clarified publicly, although both have written job briefs internally. Fletcher
was part of the interview team for Ten Hag while also continuing to assist with
training sessions. He has a strong presence in the link between youth and senior
football, but does not, as Woodward originally mapped out, have a pivotal role
in selling United to senior signings. Murtough is the central figure for
recruitment but, according to United, he also has a wider remit involving the
academy and the women’s team, which he started and built up, and overall
football operations.

Rangnick struggled to get his head around the setup. Appointed by Murtough as
manager on an interim basis with the prospect of a director role at the end of
the 2021-22 season, Rangnick soon found himself isolated. Murtough cut down
communication on sensitive subjects. Rangnick, struggling to gain authority over
players, responded by taking his observations public, stating that United
required “open-heart” surgery to fix the issues at the club.

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When Arnold took charge as chief executive in February 2022 he conducted a
root-and-branch review of club protocols. Internally, he asked hard questions of
recruitment, wanting to know how United had got so little to show for a
£1billion spend on new players. The result was Jim Lawlor and Marcel Bout, two
long-standing chief scouts, being ushered out. Lawlor, a Ferguson ally, was
judged to be dismissing too many targets as not good enough. Murtough and Brown,
the main architects of the system, stayed on.

Arnold also consulted Ferguson and Gill for their opinions. Ferguson advised
Arnold to scrutinise Murtough and recommended an approach for Dan Ashworth due
to his work building a club structure at Brighton, following on from success at
West Bromwich Albion and the English Football Association.

Arnold contacted Ashworth to sound him out before he joined Newcastle United.
But when it became clear the role would have been working under Murtough rather
than as his superior, Ashworth declined to enter proper talks.

Murtough too, has, privately investigated the addition of a senior recruitment
specialist to his department, in addition to Hargreaves, but found several
experienced individuals with proven track records did not wish to join given the
ownership uncertainty. Executives in similar positions at other clubs have
remarked on the unique complexities of steering United under the glare of
intense scrutiny. In that period, he has been growing his network, and while he
limits his interactions with some agents to protect his workload he has strong
relationships with Dave Lockwood, of Stellar, and Frank Trimboli, of CAA Base.

Those who appreciate his way of working say Murtough is fair and clear, which is
not always a given in the industry. He has implemented a new contract structure
for signings and renewals that places heavy emphasis on incentives and builds in
increases over the duration of deals, so that United are not hit hard in terms
of financial fair play.

Colleagues tell how Murtough has barely taken a holiday in three years as he
tries to modernise United and insist the systems now in place are the best in
years. They extended to the process for appointing Ten Hag. It was a rigorous
series of interviews and background checks in which Ten Hag excelled when
Murtough drilled down into details on his methods. Ten Hag had thorough answers
for how he would deal with every imagined scenario and a clear plan for
approaching the job of restoring United to a position where they were winning
trophies. Fletcher added a tactical edge, asking Ten Hag how he adapts from
domestic to Champions League football.

In a later round of talks, Ten Hag was questioned by Forde, the chairman of
Sportsology who had been brought in by Murtough as a consultant.

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Ten Hag also had a video call with Joel Glazer, who signed off on his
appointment.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A different person will have authority over Ten Hag’s future, however. Ratcliffe
feels United require upgrades elsewhere, rather than in the dugout.

Although results will inevitably dictate decisions, even now indications are
that Brailsford, as the man on the ground, will take his time to assess the
club. Undoubtedly, manoeuvring the monster that is United, with its various
high-profile stakeholders and enormous staffing levels, will be hard, whoever
takes the reins. Ratcliffe has already identified that the employee tally of
more than 1,000 can be streamlined.

Sources say Ashworth is high in Brailsford’s thoughts, with Paul Mitchell,
Julian Ward, Dougie Freedman, and Andrea Berta also discussed at INEOS. Former
Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards, who has held informal discussions
with various United figures, is said to be happy running his advisory business,
which launched in September.

Players appreciate the issues are wider than the manager. One senior player, for
instance, is said to be disappointed at United’s summer recruitment, having been
promised major signings to get United competing for the biggest honours when he
spoke with Murtough before joining. Kane would have come into this bracket.

Ten Hag is, though, wrestling with dressing-room grumbles at his methods, with
some players frustrated at late changes to schedules, overnight stays in Europe
that keep them away from families, and unexpected selections in matches.

The mood at Carrington is described by some as flat, with Ten Hag and
influential assistant Mitchell van der Gaag both approaching coaching in a
didactic manner. Regular meetings going over specific instructions can last an
hour.



Ten Hag is unapologetic over his determination to instil a strict code on and
off the pitch, however. He feels discipline in training and during games helped
United finish third in the Premier League and win the Carabao Cup last season,
and continuing that approach is the only way to return the club to title
contention. He wants players to fully understand tactical requirements. Ten Hag
experienced pushback at Ajax before his demands clicked with the players, and
trophies followed.

Advertisement



United hired Ten Hag because he built two different teams at Ajax and also
because he promised to get a grip on a squad populated by players who had at
times taken liberties with Rangnick, Solskjaer and Mourinho. The fact certain
players have been allowed to succeed managers is seen as a mark against the club
by close observers, and generating an environment where there is accountability
for actions across the board will be one of the main requirements for the new
people at the helm.

(Top photos: Getty Images)




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