Erik ten Hag has warned Harry Maguire he must prove he is good enough to merit a regular spot in the heart of Manchester United's defence.

Maguire endured a difficult campaign both on and off the field last season, leading to suggestions David de Gea or Cristiano Ronaldo would take over as United captain.

However, Ten Hag clarified at a news conference during United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia that the England international will continue to wear the armband.

That was considered a huge vote of confidence for Maguire, though he now faces additional competition for a starting place with Lisandro Martinez on his way from Ajax.

United have reached a £56.5million (€67m) agreement with the Eredivisie champions for Martinez, who can play in a number of positions but favours playing as a left-sided centre-back.

That would naturally see him play alongside Raphael Varane, with Victor Lindelof also battling for a spot at the back.

While Ten Hag has reiterated he is a fan of Maguire's, the Dutchman is not offering his skipper any assurances heading into the new campaign.

"We have good centre-halves and Harry is one of them. He can play on the left side and on the right," Ten Hag told The Athletic.

"I think he is [a first-choice player]. He's proved it in the past but he also has to prove it in the present time and in the future. 

"He has played 46 times for England. Harry is really impressive and I expect a lot from him.

"But there is also internal competition and that is what a club like Man United needs. You cannot win with 11 players. We need a squad. 

"Especially this season with so many games. We have the Europa League, the Premier League and the World Cup, so we need a full squad with high-quality players."

Maguire is about to begin his fourth season as a United player after joining from Leicester City in an £80m transfer in 2019, making him the world's most expensive defender.

The 29-year-old has made 144 appearances for United, which is 11 more than next-highest Marcus Rashford during his time at Old Trafford.

However, he started only 75.5 per cent of games in all competitions last season, compared to 85.2 per cent the previous campaign and 90.2 in the 2019-20 season.

Asked about his decision to continue with Maguire as captain, Ten Hag said: "I always see the captaincy as an issue that I dictate. 

"The team building for me is an important point and I always talk about a group of leaders. The captain is a really important one and I'm happy with him.

"It can help [give him more confidence]. I will support him everywhere I can. In the end, he has to do it by himself, and he has the qualities to do it."

Maguire was not the only United player who struggled last season, with the Red Devils recording their lowest-ever Premier League points tally (58) and finishing in sixth.

United have won their opening two pre-season friendlies under Ten Hag, against Liverpool and Melbourne Victory, and the new boss is eager to restore his players' confidence.

"You can see that it affects the players. Now we have to cheer them up and motivate them," he said. "We are trying to bring the confidence back. 

"That's one of the important points to get success, that you have self-belief as an individual and as a team. That is a process, individual talks for instance, the positive approach. 

"Sometimes also you can be highly demanding because that is what we expect and we give them feedback. If they don't, you ask: 'Why are you not acting to your standards?'. 

"I want to get the maximum out of the players who are here. I think it belongs to Manchester that you're always looking for better, for competition, because that is a tool to lift, too."

The 2021-22 season was one to forget for Manchester United, with the club failing to even come close to finishing in the top four in the Premier League.

A campaign that saw them replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager with interim coach Ralf Rangnick eventually ended in a sixth-place finish, 13 points behind Tottenham in fourth and a whopping 35 away from champions Manchester City.

One player who came in for particular criticism last season was captain Harry Maguire, who has struggled to recreate his impressive form for England at club level since a big money move from Leicester City in 2019.

Speaking during United's pre-season tour of Australia, Maguire said: "Last year was disappointing. As an individual I didn't play well and as a team, we certainly didn't play well.

"But a good career can last 10 to 15 years and you're never going to have every year where it's plain sailing and you don't have any difficulties.

"You're going to have to fight, you're going to have setbacks and last year was certainly a setback for myself on my career path.

"But it's behind us now and we look forward to the future and getting this club back to winning trophies, which is what it’s all about."

United ended the season by losing six consecutive away league matches for the first time since March 1981, and failed to end a league campaign with a positive goal difference for the first time since 1989-90.

The club has moved to improve their fortunes next season by appointing Erik ten Hag as manager, and the arrival of the former Ajax boss has seen a renewed sense of optimism at Old Trafford.

United have made a promising start to pre-season, with a 4-0 win against rivals Liverpool in Bangkok followed by a 4-1 success against Melbourne Victory in Australia.

Anthony Elanga had been full of praise for Ten Hag's focus on improving running on and off the ball, and Maguire echoed the praise from his young team-mate about the early impact of the new manager's methods.

"It's been tough. The running has been hard but we're really looking forward to the new season," he added. "Everyone knows last year was nowhere near good enough but it's a fresh start and we've got a big season ahead.

"Erik and his coaching staff are bringing their ideas and the first two games you've seen little glimpses of the principles.

"We're working towards being ready for that first Premier League game, that's what matters. Everything we're doing now is building for that first game."

Erik ten Hag has confirmed Harry Maguire will stay on as Manchester United captain this season.

Maguire was named skipper by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January 2020 following Ashley Young's exit from Old Trafford. 

The England international endured a difficult campaign both on and off the field last season, leading to suggestions David de Gea or Cristiano Ronaldo would take the armband instead.

Speaking after being unveiled as United's new manager in May, Ten Hag said he had yet to decide who would captain United in his first season in charge.

That came after interim boss Ralf Rangnick had suggested during his short stint at the helm that it should be down to the players to vote on who captains the side.

However, Ten Hag clarified at a news conference during United's pre-season trip to Thailand on Monday that Maguire will continue to lead the side.

"Harry Maguire is the captain," he said. "Of course I have to get to know all the players but he is the established captain and he has achieved a lot of success."

Maguire is about to begin his fourth season as a United player after joining from Leicester City in an £80million transfer in 2019, making him the world's most expensive defender.

The 29-year-old has made 144 appearances for United in all competitions, which is 11 more than next-highest Marcus Rashford during his time at Old Trafford.

However, he was regularly criticised for his performances in the 2021-22 campaign and was targeted with a bomb threat in April, which left the England international understandably shaken.

But former United captain Gary Neville believes Ten Hag has made the right choice in allowing Maguire to continue wearing the armband.

"Good," he tweeted in response to Ten Hag's announcement, which was met with a widely negative reaction by United's fanbase.

Neville then responded with: "Maybe support Maguire and stop bullying him on here! The new manager obviously likes him.

"The same United fans fuming with me for applauding the decision to keep Maguire as captain seem to be without knowing criticising the new manager for his decision."

Liverpool have reportedly placed a £60million price tag on star Mohamed Salah after it became clear he is unlikely to remain with the club when his contract expires at the end of the upcoming season.

Salah arrived at Anfield in 2017 in a £36.5m move from Roma and during his time with the Reds he has become one of the best players in the world.

In his five Premier League seasons, Salah has tallied 118 goals and 50 assists in 180 games, been named PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, collected three Premier League Golden Boots and won the Puskas Award in 2018.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL LOOK TO CASH IN BEFORE SALAH WALKS FOR NOTHING

Liverpool have long since been in contract talks with the Egypt superstar, but recent developments have caused the club to investigate what they could get in return for him entering the final year of his deal.

The Mirror is reporting Liverpool have decided that £60m is the number they would be comfortable with, but it remains to be seen if there is interest from rival clubs given he could leave Anfield for nothing next year.

Meanwhile, The Sun claims Liverpool are confident they can land Borussia Dortmund's England midfielder Jude Bellingham at the end of next season.

Liverpool have already seen Sadio Mane depart for Bayern Munich.

ROUND-UP

– According to Sky Sports, West Ham are exploring a potential move for Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma, who is said to have a £40m release clause in his contract.

– Sky Sports also claim  West Ham are interested in signing Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse .

– Manchester United are hoping to sell young defender Brandon Williams for £10m, according to the Daily Mail, while The Sun claims the club have made around £100m available for Erik ten Hag to rebuild the team.

– United have declined Barcelona 's request for the Red Devils to include Harry Maguire in their bid for Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to The Sun.

– The Athletic say  Crystal Palace are confident they will land 22-year-old Lens midfielder Cheick Doucoure .

Harry Maguire has defended under-fire England boss Gareth Southgate after a 4-0 defeat to Hungary, claiming he remains one of the best managers in international football.

Maguire, who came on as a late substitute with England 3-0 down at Molineux on Tuesday, says the loss was "unacceptable" but insisted the Three Lions can make a big impact at the World Cup this year.

England are facing the threat of Nations League relegation after taking just two points from four Group A3 games, following up draws against Germany and Italy with their heaviest home defeat since a 5-1 hammering by Scotland in 1928.

A failure to win any of their four games this month also leaves England on their worst run since June 2014, when they went without a victory in five games during a month which saw them finish bottom of their group at the 2014 World Cup under Roy Hodgson.

Hungary also became the first team to score four goals in an away match against England since their historic 6-3 triumph at Wembley in 1953, leading Southgate to come under fire from supporters.

Chants of "you don't know what you're doing" were aimed at Southgate by home fans during the hammering, but Maguire says he remains the right man to lead the team in Qatar later this year.

"Gareth is the most successful England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey in 1966," the defender told the Sun. "We all can't wait to work with him and the backroom team again at the World Cup.

"His managerial record is as good as anyone currently out there in international football.

"There's no reason why we can't do really well and our goal is to improve on our previous tournaments and make the country proud.

"We deserved more from the first three [Nations League] games, but against Hungary on Tuesday it wasn't acceptable.

"We all know that. Everyone needs a break now and a recharge. The spirit in the camp has been great, despite the results."

England face just two more Nations League contests – versus Germany and Italy in September – before they open their World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21.

Harry Maguire has defended England and Gareth Southgate from criticism relating to their style of play, pointing out they did well at the last World Cup and Euro 2020 playing the same way.

England were held to a 0-0 draw by Italy at Molineux on Saturday, leaving them with two points after their first three Nations League games.

Of similar concern is the fact the Three Lions have not scored a single goal from open play in those matches, with their solitary strike coming from the penalty spot in the midweek 1-1 draw with Germany.

Manager Southgate has been criticised for perceived cautious tactics, which many consider to be the root of the issue.

But Maguire is not convinced, suggesting they are not doing anything different to when they reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals or the Euro 2020 final.

"[Southgate's] record over the last four years speaks for itself," Maguire told BBC Radio 5 Live. "When you play at the highest level there's pressure and scrutiny and criticism, and every game that you don't win there will always be criticism [afterwards].

"The last few games we haven't scored enough goals, but we got to a World Cup semi-final playing this way and we were a penalty shoot-out away from winning the Euros in our home country, which would've been one of the greatest moments this country has ever seen."

Maguire then urged England fans to get behind the team, with the World Cup less than six months away.

"Let the football do the talking. Everyone get behind us for the World Cup and keep pushing us, we're doing our best to improve," he continued.

"We've shown there's still areas to improve and if we want to lift the World Cup we have to strive to improve.

"Every day that we're together we have to aim for that because we want to set high standards and the next [aim] is to lift the trophy."

England are next in action at home to Hungary on Tuesday as they look to finally get their first Nations League win of the year and get off foot of the Group A3 table.

Harry Maguire says he will continue to take criticism on the chin, but the Manchester United captain notes a line was crossed when he received a bomb threat in April.

Cheshire Police carried out a search of the England defender's home, where he lives with his fiancee and two young children after he was reportedly threatened in an email.

Maguire said: "I'm big enough to accept people getting on my back and saying I can improve.

"There is a line where we are human beings, I do have a family. People ask if it affects me. My mentality is that it doesn't affect me too much but when it comes to bomb threats, it is more about family, my fiancee Fern.

"I'm just happy my kids are at an age where they don't read things and see things on the news.

"If my kids were an older age, they could see things and go to school and people are speaking about it. That is when it affects you a little bit more."

Maguire was left out of the United team in the aftermath of the incident, having been singled out for criticism during another disappointing campaign for the Red Devils, but the centre-back is ready to put that behind him in a new era under Erik ten Hag.

"Yes, it's been a tough season - no hiding away from that," he said.

"I'm my biggest critic. Although there are a lot of critics out there, I'm actually still my biggest.

"But every day I'm trying to improve. Obviously, this season has been a challenging part of my career. But during a career of 10 or 15 years, if you want to play at the top, you're going to have ups and downs."

As Maguire prepares for England's Nations League showdown with Hungary on Saturday, the 29-year-old is not dwelling on being booed by a small section of fans during the team's 3-0 win over Ivory Coast in a friendly in March.

"I am not going to let the minority - I don't know how many it was, 10-20 people - doing that in the Ivory Coast game to affect my relationship with the England fans, no." he said.

Erik ten Hag says Cristiano Ronaldo is part of his plans, but the new Manchester United manager has yet to decide if Harry Maguire will remain captain next season.

Former Ajax boss Ten Hag was appointed as Ralf Rangnick's successor last month on an initial three-year deal and officially started work at Old Trafford on Monday.

Ten Hag takes over on the back of United's worst ever Premier League season in terms of points, with 2021-22 their fifth successive campaign without any silverware.

The Dutchman has a number of pressing issues to deal with, not least Ronaldo's future and the wider debate over who should skipper United.

Ronaldo scored 24 goals in 38 appearances for United in his first season back at the club, which is 13 goals more than next-best Bruno Fernandes.

Indeed, aside from Ronaldo and Fernandes, no other United player made it into double figures for the campaign in all competitions.

Despite netting some vital goals for the Red Devils, Ronaldo's place in the side has been questioned due to his work off the ball.

But asked at his unveiling news conference whether the Portugal international has a part to play under him next season, Ten Hag responded: "Of course".

Probed on what he expects Ronaldo to bring to the side, Ten Hag simply replied: "Goals".

Ronaldo captained United at times this term when regular skipper Maguire was absent, with some questioning whether the defender should hand over the armband permanently.

Rangnick previously suggested it should be down to the players to vote on who captains United from next season, though Ten Hag is expected to have the final say.

The 52-year-old, who guided Ajax to three Eredivisie titles in his four full seasons in charge, gave little away when commenting on the situation on Monday.

"Next season is a different season," he said. "Harry's done a good job and he's a great player. 

"He's achieved a lot and has contributed a lot to Manchester United, so I'm looking forward to working with him."

While Ronaldo and Maguire look set to play a part in United's latest new chapter, Ten Hag is expected to oversee a big overhaul in the coming transfer window.

"I'm still in the process of analysing, to set conclusions," Ten Hag said of United's transfer business.

"But I'm looking forward to working with the players I have. The season before, this squad was second in the league, so there is huge potential.

"I think if we improve, if we work with them, I think we can get out more than what was the result from this season."

Harry Maguire is in line for a return to action when Manchester United travel to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday, Ralf Rangnick has confirmed.

The United captain has not played since the Red Devils fell to a crushing 4-0 defeat at rivals Liverpool on April 19.

He was only the bench four days later as United lost to Arsenal 3-1, with Rangnick confirming the mental toll of a bomb threat made against Maguire was one reason for leaving him out.

A knee injury then forced him to miss the 1-1 draw with Chelsea and United's 3-0 defeat of Brentford.

United sit sixth in the Premier League table, five points behind fourth-placed Arsenal going in to the final two games of Rangnick's tenure as interim manager.

Maguire has been criticised after playing his part in just seven clean sheets in 35 appearances across all competitions this term but should return at the Amex Stadium, although Rangnick refused to say whether he would start.

Fellow England international Marcus Rashford, however, has been ruled out after suffering from a bout of bronchitis.

"Harry is back in training, he trained the whole week, the second day after the Brentford game he resumed training, so he will be available and will be part of the group," Rangnick told his pre-match press conference.

"This [whether will start Maguire] is a decision I have to make after training today, obviously I don't want to tell our opponents the line-up with which we will start, but he will definitely be part of the group.

"Edinson [Cavani] is in training, obviously he came on as a sub [against Brentford], [but] Marcus Rashford will be missing, he has caught bronchitis, with a high temperature, so he won't be able to be part of the group."

United will defend an excellent head-to-head record against the Seagulls when they travel to the south coast: they have won each of their previous seven games against Brighton in all competitions, their longest ongoing winning run against another current Premier League side.

However, the Red Devils have lost each of their past four away Premier League games, as many as they had in the previous 42 on their travels, making it the club's longest run of consecutive league reverses on the road since a streak of six between December 1980 and March 1981.

However, as Rangnick prepares to make way for Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag and assume a consultancy role at the end of the season, he reiterated his belief that the future is bright at Old Trafford, saying he was pleased to see his players enjoying their football against the Bees last time out.

"In last two home games we got four points, and the Brentford game was one of our best games in the last six months. I'm positive that the team will try to play on the same level tomorrow and in two weeks' time against Crystal Palace," he added.

"Once again, what I liked about the game was you could see they had fun playing together, that they were enjoying themselves on the pitch, and this is exactly the kind of approach we need for tomorrow as well.

"I think it was visible against Brentford, you could see they enjoyed themselves on the pitch. This does not mean everything was perfect, but in possession we were controlling the game.

"With regard to next season, there will be some changes, obviously. There are some players whose contracts are expiring, with new players to join us here, in the end it's also a thing that needs to be discussed with Erik and the board.

"Erik needs to tell the board which players he wants to work with, but I'm positive with the right new players, plus the players that are already here, the pathway could be a very positive one, this is what we will all try to achieve.

"We will definitely speak at the end of the season. Both Erik and myself want to have our full focus on the outstanding games, he has another three games to play and will do everything to try to win the title in the Netherlands.

"We have agreed we will chat and speak about everything at the end of the season."

Ralf Rangnick has suggested incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag puts the Red Devils captaincy to a players' vote, placing doubt over Harry Maguire's role as skipper.

Maguire was named captain following the departure of Ashley Young to Inter in January 2020, just five months after the centre-back's £80 million transfer from Leicester City – the world record fee for a defender.

England international Maguire has come under scrutiny for both his performances and captaincy, with United struggling in the Premier League and out of all cup competitions.

United are sixth in the league and unlikely to qualify for the Champions League, sitting six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal – who defeated Rangnick's side 3-1 on Saturday and have played a game fewer.

The future of Cristiano Ronaldo and seemingly outbound Paul Pogba remains in question, with several more players also out of contract at Old Trafford as Ajax coach Ten Hag prepares for a sizeable rebuilding task.

One of the Dutchman's first tasks will be deciding on the leader in the dressing room, and Rangnick has recommended United players vote on who their next captain should be.

Asked whether Maguire will retain the captain's armband next season, Rangnick told reporters: "Again, I understand your question but again, it doesn't make sense because we don't know what kind of players will be here, what the group will look like.

"I can only tell you what I have done in the past when I was head coach or manager because in Germany it's called 'Mannschaftskapitan' – the captain of the team.

"I strongly believe the captain should be elected by the team because he's called the team manager, and we always did that.

"We always had a board of four or five players – we called it the Spielerrat [players' council] – elected by the players. The player with the highest amount of votes was the team captain at the end. That was how I did it.

"I know a lot of head coaches don't do it that way. That's what I would do if I was still the manager next season but in the end, I'm not. This is something that Erik will have to decide."

Recruitment will also be a key factor for the rejuvenation of United, with Rangnick operating in a consultancy role alongside Ten Hag, who has previously suggested he demands some ruling over transfers.

Rangnick expressed his excitement to work with Ten Hag as the pair look to turn around United's fortunes next season.

"I strongly believe that there are a lot of things that can become better and will become better with a new manager and hopefully with some new players, with some fresh energy in that squad," he added.

"With this group of new players and the quality of players that are already here, together with the new manager, I am very positive that next season will be a lot better.

"I am looking forward to working in that advisory role and obviously helping Erik as much as he wants it himself.

"In my last two clubs, we never a signed a player without the approval of the manager and I'm pretty sure this will be the case with Erik.

"I'm also positive that Erik will make some suggestions, then together with the board, together with the scouting department and possibly myself, we will then hopefully decide the right players.

"Obviously, I am more than willing and prepared to help both Erik and whomever in the club in order to change everything for the better."

However, former RB Leipzig coach Rangnick is yet to speak with the incoming Ten Hag due to the latter's commitments with Ajax.

"[Ten Hag's] focus is on Ajax now and trying to win the title there, my focus for the next few weeks is on our club, on getting the best possible results," the German continued.

"Whenever he has time, or would like to speak, yes I am available, but I would not want to contact him on my own account now."

Cristiano Ronaldo was included in Manchester United line-up for the Red Devils' trip to top-four rivals Arsenal, while captain Harry Maguire was named among the substitutes.

Superstar forward Ronaldo, who is just one goal away from bringing up a career century of Premier League strikes after scoring 15 in the top flight this season, missed Tuesday's 4-0 defeat at Liverpool after announcing the loss of his son on Monday. 

Ronaldo has scored six goals in his last seven appearances against Arsenal in all competitions, including twice in the reverse fixture in December, and a brace on his last visit to the Emirates in May 2009 in the Champions League semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Maguire has been named among the substitutes by caretaker boss Ralf Rangnick. The England defender received a bomb threat to his home this week, with police later confirming no suspicious object was found after a search.

Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane will partner one another in the heart of the United defence, while Bruno Fernandes has taken the captain's armband in the absence of Maguire.

Marcus Rashford, Phil Jones, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have also been dropped to the bench after the humiliating loss at Anfield, with Paul Pogba's injury ruling him out entirely as Alex Telles, Jadon Sancho, and Scott McTominay return to Rangnick's XI.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have made just one change from their 4-2 win over Chelsea, introducing Cedric Soares in place of Rob Holding at the back.

United travel to the Emirates three points behind the Gunners in the Premier League table having played one game more, as Rangnick looks to secure Champions League football before making way for Erik ten Hag.

Cheshire Police have carried out a search of Harry Maguire's house after the Manchester United captain received a bomb threat.

Police conducted a sweep of the England centre-back's property, where he lives with his fiancee and two children, on Thursday after he was reportedly threatened via email.

A spokesman for Maguire said: "In the last 24 hours, Harry has received a serious threat to his family home. He has reported this to the police who are now looking into the matter.

"The safety of his family and those around him is obviously Harry's number one priority.

"He will continue to prepare for this weekend's fixture [at Arsenal on Saturday] as normal and we will not be commenting in any further detail at this time."

Maguire was targeted in a week that saw the Red Devils suffer a 4-0 Premier League thrashing at the hands of fierce rivals Liverpool on Thursday.

The 29-year-old defender has endured a difficult season and was booed by England fans during a friendly win over Ivory Coast last month.

United on Thursday confirmed Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag will take over as their new manager at the end of the season.

Erik ten Hag has been charged with the task of trying to make Manchester United a force again, and he faces a significant rebuilding job.

The Dutchman will leave Ajax at the end of the season to take charge of the Red Devils after agreeing a deal until June 2025, with the option of a further year.

It is not just shaping a squad that has struggled to coalesce this season that will be on his to-do list.

Ten Hag's in-tray will be piled high as he sets about making a short-term impact, while implementing the "long-term vision" that impressed United's hierarchy. 

Stats Perform looks at the pressing issues for the 52-year-old to address.

Change the mentality

A 3-2 win over Norwich City last weekend aside, United have been in poor form and are in danger of ending the season with a whimper.

It was men against boys as the Red Devils were thumped 4-0 at Liverpool on Tuesday and there have been far too many inept displays this season from a side lacking fight and quality.

Interim boss Ralf Rangnick has been unable to get a tune out of an underperforming group of players since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked last November, and a huge shake-up is needed.

Add some steel

United must build solid foundations in a new era under Ten Hag, as they have been far too fragile in another hugely disappointing season.

Ten Hag needs a strong spine in his team, and if he was watching the way Liverpool blew them away at Anfield, he will know United have anything but that at the moment.

United fans will demand winners who will put their body on the line in the heat of battle and there is a real shortage of them in the current squad.

Recruit wisely

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 21 goals after sensationally rejoining United from Juventus last September, but his signing was surely only ever going to be a short-term fix at best.

Solskjaer certainly appeared to struggle to build a team around the Portugal captain, and it would be no great surprise if the 37-year-old is on the move again.

Regardless of whether Ronaldo stays, Ten Hag will need to be backed in the transfer market and there must be a big overhaul, with Paul Pogba among those expected to depart.

Bring back silverware

There is no plainer objective for the new boss – he will be marked as a success or a failure by the trophies he wins during his time at the helm.

Solskjaer left the club with the third-best win rate in United's history, but he paid the price for a lack of silverware.

United have only been top of the Premier League at the end of a calendar month twice since Alex Ferguson left – in September 2015 and August 2017. It will surely take Ten Hag time to get them challenging for the title again, so he must ensure they make their presence felt in cup competitions.

Consider the captaincy

It has been a season to forget for United captain Harry Maguire.

The Red Devils skipper's talents are clear, as he has shown for club and country, but the centre-back has lost his way at Old Trafford.

The responsibility of leading a struggling side appears to have affected the England defender, and Ten Hag may decide to start his reign by appointing a new captain.

After months of speculation, Manchester United have confirmed Erik ten Hag will take over as the club's new manager at the end of another frustrating season at Old Trafford.

The 52-year-old will have a huge job on his hands when he arrives this summer, with the Red Devils looking unlikely to qualify for the Champions League after struggling under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick this term.

High up on Ten Hag's to-do list will be deciding who amongst the current squad will be suited to playing his high-pressing, possession-based style of football.

Here, Stats Perform uses Opta-powered data to give an insight into three players who could impress under the Dutchman, and three who may find their days numbered after his arrival…

Who might star under Ten Hag?

Donny Van de Beek

An easy choice. Van de Beek emerged as a star under Ten Hag's tutelage at Ajax, and was a driving force being the Amsterdam giants' terrific run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018-19. Installed as a creative midfielder alongside Frenkie de Jong, Van de Beek scored three goals and provided two assists during that famous run, with only Dusan Tadic (six) outscoring him for Ajax in the competition.

Having played a paltry 381 minutes for United across 14 appearances this season before being sent on loan to Everton in January, the 25-year-old looks the most obvious player to benefit from the arrival of his former coach

Jadon Sancho

Another player likely to thrive under Ten Hag is England winger Jadon Sancho, who has registered five goals and three assists in 37 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils since moving from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

Only Bruno Fernandes (98) has created more open-play chances for United this term than Sancho (47), and he definitely stands to benefit from the arrival of a coach whose teams play with genuine width.

Each of Tadic (15), Antony (12), and Steven Berghuis (11) have reached double figures for Eredivisie goals for Ajax this term, so their former coach could be the man to get the best of the England man.

Luke Shaw

Ten Hag's Ajax team deployed their full-backs as a key attacking threat, with Argentine left-back Nicolas Tagliafico netting three goals during 2018-19's Champions League run.

Amongst Premier League defenders, only Trent Alexander-Arnold created more than the 72 chances crafted by Red Devils left-back Shaw during the 2020-21 season, and the England man could rediscover that form if unleashed by United's new boss.

Who might see their position threatened?

Harry Maguire 

The United skipper has faced much criticism for his role in another poor campaign for the Red Devils, and could be the first big-name casualty of Ten Hag's attempts to install a more progressive style of play.

No United defender has made as many errors leading to shots as Maguire in the Premier League this term (three), while his passing accuracy of 86.37 per cent is marginally lower than those of fellow defenders Raphael Varane (87.47) and Victor Lindelof (86.63), potentially marking out the England man as ripe for a replacement.

David De Gea

When another possession-hungry coach arrived in Manchester back in 2016, one of his first moves involved finding a goalkeeper he could trust to participate as his team tried to build from the back.

That man, of course, was Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, and Ten Hag could look to replicate his acquisition of Ederson by replacing De Gea. The Spaniard has recorded a pass accuracy of just 68.81 per cent in the Premier League this season, way short of elite rivals Ederson (88.35) and Allison (85.22).

Cristiano Ronaldo

Hear us out on this one. The legendary striker's goalscoring prowess remains unrivalled, and his 21 goals in all competitions since returning to Old Trafford last summer put him a long way clear of his nearest team-mate (Bruno Fernandes with nine).

However, the height of Ten Hag's success at Ajax came with Tadic used as a false nine in 2018-19, recording 10 goal involvements (six goals, four assists) during their thrilling European run. 

Besides, with Ronaldo's 140 strikes placing him at the top of the Champions League's all-time top goalscoring charts, can the 37-year-old really be expected to forgo playing in European football's premier competition if United fail to qualify? If not, a potentially tough decision regarding his future could be taken out of Ten Hag's hands.

After months of speculation, Manchester United have confirmed Erik ten Hag will take over as the club's new manager at the end of another frustrating season at Old Trafford.

The 52-year-old will have a huge job on his hands when he arrives this summer, with the Red Devils looking unlikely to qualify for the Champions League after struggling under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick this term.

High up on Ten Hag's to-do list will be deciding who amongst the current squad will be suited to playing his high-pressing, possession-based style of football.

Here, Stats Perform uses Opta-powered data to give an insight into three players who could impress under the Dutchman, and three who may find their days numbered after his arrival…

Who might star under Ten Hag?

Donny Van de Beek

An easy choice. Van de Beek emerged as a star under Ten Hag's tutelage at Ajax, and was a driving force being the Amsterdam giants' terrific run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018-19. Installed as a creative midfielder alongside Frenkie de Jong, Van de Beek scored three goals and provided two assists during that famous run, with only Dusan Tadic (six) outscoring him for Ajax in the competition.

Having played a paltry 381 minutes for United across 14 appearances this season before being sent on loan to Everton in January, the 25-year-old looks the most obvious player to benefit from the arrival of his former coach

Jadon Sancho

Another player likely to thrive under Ten Hag is England winger Jadon Sancho, who has registered five goals and three assists in 37 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils since moving from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

Only Bruno Fernandes (98) has created more open-play chances for United this term than Sancho (47), and he definitely stands to benefit from the arrival of a coach whose teams play with genuine width.

Each of Tadic (15), Antony (12), and Steven Berghuis (11) have reached double figures for Eredivisie goals for Ajax this term, so their former coach could be the man to get the best of the England man.

Luke Shaw

Ten Hag's Ajax team deployed their full-backs as a key attacking threat, with Argentine left-back Nicolas Tagliafico netting three goals during 2018-19's Champions League run.

Amongst Premier League defenders, only Trent Alexander-Arnold created more than the 72 chances crafted by Red Devils left-back Shaw during the 2020-21 season, and the England man could rediscover that form if unleashed by United's new boss.

Who might see their position threatened?

Harry Maguire 

The United skipper has faced much criticism for his role in another poor campaign for the Red Devils, and could be the first big-name casualty of Ten Hag's attempts to install a more progressive style of play.

No United defender has made as many errors leading to shots as Maguire in the Premier League this term (three), while his passing accuracy of 86.37 per cent is marginally lower than those of fellow defenders Raphael Varane (87.47) and Victor Lindelof (86.63), potentially marking out the England man as ripe for a replacement.

David De Gea

When another possession-hungry coach arrived in Manchester back in 2016, one of his first moves involved finding a goalkeeper he could trust to participate as his team tried to build from the back.

That man, of course, was Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, and Ten Hag could look to replicate his acquisition of Ederson by replacing De Gea. The Spaniard has recorded a pass accuracy of just 68.81 per cent in the Premier League this season, way short of elite rivals Ederson (88.35) and Allison (85.22).

Cristiano Ronaldo

Hear us out on this one. The legendary striker's goalscoring prowess remains unrivalled, and his 21 goals in all competitions since returning to Old Trafford last summer put him a long way clear of his nearest team-mate (Bruno Fernandes with nine).

However, the height of Ten Hag's success at Ajax came with Tadic used as a false nine in 2018-19, recording 10 goal involvements (six goals, four assists) during their thrilling European run. 

Besides, with Ronaldo's 140 strikes placing him at the top of the Champions League's all-time top goalscoring charts, can the 37-year-old really be expected to forgo playing in European football's premier competition if United fail to qualify? If not, a potentially tough decision regarding his future could be taken out of Ten Hag's hands.