Erik ten Hag has been in charge of Manchester United for roughly six months now and the Dutchman’s tenure is coming along nicely as we approach the resumption of club football.
The domestic season was paused to accommodate this winter’s World Cup but United are back in action in just nine days when Burnley make the trip to Old Trafford for the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
David de Gea has been one of the main beneficiaries of Ten Hag’s appointment, with the Spanish goalkeeper developing into a different type of shot-stopper recently.
The former Atletico Madrid star has just six months remaining on his contract at the club and some believed that he may have been one player Ten Hag would replace but that has not been the case.
Speaking during United’s mid-season training camp in Spain, De Ge has opened up on life under Ten Hag, insisting the players are enjoying working under the former Ajax boss.
“I think he has high demands for everyone, there is a lot of information,” De Gea is quoted as saying by the official Manchester United website.
“We are used to playing under him because we are learning a lot of new things as a team. I think we are enjoying it, we are training really hard with him.”
“They are long training sessions, tactics, everything and I think we are heading the right way. We are playing really well, as you saw in the last game we showed we can play really well.
”We are winning games and that is the most important thing.”
SN’s verdict…
United were in a sorry state when Ten Hag took over earlier this year and the transformation has been quick. De Gea has benefitted from it and he will fancy his chances of extending his stay at the club.
He will, however, need to take a substantial reduction in wages as the club is unlikely to offer him more or the same that he’s earning right now.
United have the option to extend his contract for an additional 12 months but that would mean the same wages for another year. Instead, it’s more likely that the Spaniard will enter negotiations over fresh terms.