Erik ten Hag is demanding Manchester United raise the bar once again having overseen “necessary” and “immense” improvements during his first year in charge.
Last summer the Dutchman took the reins at a club in disarray, with a lack of coherency, quality and joined-up thinking resulting in a wretched 2021-22 campaign.
Ten Hag brought in a new style, implemented demanding standards and handled star Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit as well he could before masterminding the end of United’s six-year wait for silverware.
The Carabao Cup triumph was followed by a third-placed Premier League finish and FA Cup final loss to eventual treble winners Manchester City, who are the target as they push for further improvements.
“I think the levels all across increased (at an) immense (level) and that was necessary,” Ten Hag said, reflecting on his first year in charge.
“But, still, we are not there where we want to be and we have to raise the bar, so we have to go to next levels.
“You learn always and I think English football evolves and I think you see nowadays the league is stronger and stronger. When you compare it with three, four years ago, it’s definitely the case.
“Because all the strong players get attracted to the Premier League, all the best managers got attracted to the Premier League, so every time it develops and progresses.
“It’s really a challenge and I’m really looking forward again to go in the season and to get the challenge.”
United have been bolstered heading into the new season by the arrivals of Mason Mount from Chelsea and Inter Milan’s adventurous goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Rasmus Hojlund is set to join them after United agreed a deal in principle to sign the talented Atalanta striker for a £64million fee rising to £72m – a potentially key addition to a goal-shy group.
“I can’t talk about this player in this moment because I’m a long time in football and I know first we need signings,” said Ten Hag, who always tends to keeps cards close to his chest.
“So far, we have to keep calm and let the professionals do their work. “
Hojlund’s arrival will take United’s summer outlay to £162.8m – a figure that would increase to £179.2m if the respective clauses in the three arrivals’ contracts are met.
Club success is key to many of those add-ons and fans could be concerned it will be hard to reach those heights under the Glazers given their track record.
Hope that their long, unpopular ownership could end grew with November’s announcement of a “strategic review” at United, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe placing bids.
But the Glazers are dragging their heels and no resolution is in sight with the Premier League kick-off less than a fortnight away.
“I focus on my job, and that is to improve the team,” Ten Hag told the PA news agency when asked about the takeover situation.
“I have to do my work to sign the players and I have to work on the way of play. That is my focus area.
“That’s what I’ve done, so I don’t get distracted from any of the strategic review. That’s what others in the club will deal with.
“We have a good information line. We’re sharing the information, so I know where I am and I can focus on my job.
“Most of the times (the information) is going over (chief executive) Richard Arnold or (football director) John Murtough. But sometimes also we have direct contact, as you have seen in New York.”
Ten Hag faced a variety of questions about different topics in the New York area ahead of kicking off their US tour with a 2-0 friendly win against Arsenal at MetLife Stadium.
The Dutchman pointed back to his comments there when asked for an update on Mason Greenwood, who has been suspended since January 2022.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced in February that all charges, including attempted rape and assault, had been dropped but an internal investigation continues.
“I explained in New York and I don’t think I have to reply again on that question,” Ten Hag said. “I answered this question, but I can’t every time answer the same question.”
Another major topic heading into the New York leg was the United captaincy as Ten Hag had just stripped Harry Maguire of the armband and handed it to Bruno Fernandes.
The club have since rejected a £20m bid from West Ham for the out-of-favour defender, who it was suggested could dominate the first few months of the season like Ronaldo did last term.
“I don’t see it like that, but you can have that impression,” Ten Hag retorted. “That’s your choice.
“But not last year, not this year. We are building, we are building a project. We want to win trophies.
“And, so we have to invest in the way of play, we have to invest in the team and our focus is not on one player.”
Ten Hag says consistency across the team is essential if United are to kick on next season, with the early acquisitions of Mount and Onana boosting their preparations.
“I wouldn’t call it an Erik ten Hag squad,” the manager added. “It’s about the demands of top football.
“We have to find the players, or we have to increase the levels from the players who are there.
“I think many players improved during last season. My expectation is that we can make another step that we increase the levels of the individuals.”
Terzic: Dortmund have made up for last season's Bundesliga failure
Borussia Dortmund's 2-0 aggregate win over Paris Saint-Germain made amends for last season's disappointing Bundesliga finale, coach Edin Terzic said.
Dortmund showed great composure to reach their third Champions League final and first since 2013 after Mats Hummels' second-half goal earned a 1-0 victory on the night in Paris on Tuesday.
Terzic went to the Dortmund fans after the game and said he felt he had to make up for last season's failure to win the Bundesliga title after slipping up on the very last day.
"Last season, we lost the championship at home on the last matchday. I'm happy that we can now give something back to the fans," Terzic said, remembering how Bayern Munich snatched the Bundesliga title from Dortmund on goal difference.
"[Going to the fans] was a very emotional moment, a beautiful moment. We wished it for last season's last matchday. But today we could pay something back, keep them dreaming and now we'll do everything to bring the trophy back home," he said.
PSG hit the woodwork four times but failed to find the net as Kylian Mbappe, widely expected to leave at the end of the season, was a shadow of his usual brilliant self.
Dortmund will now meet either 14-time European champions Real Madrid or their Bundesliga rivals Bayern in the June 1 showdown at Wembley.
"Before the first game against PSV, we talked for the first time about how short the journey to London could be," Terzic said.
"Back then, many were still puzzled. We've grown with every game and eventually realised that we could be the team that surprises everyone in the end. Now I'm very happy to be in the final with my team."
Dortmund have played a roller-coaster Bundesliga season and sit in fifth place with two games left.
"That plays no role," Terzic said. "In 2013 when Dortmund were in the Champions League final they were 25 points behind in the league and in 1997 when they won it they were also not doing well.
"The season had highs and lows but our season is still not finished."
'I don't see why we shouldn't win' - BVB hero Hummels bullish ahead of Champions League final
Mats Hummels sees no reason why Borussia Dortmund cannot go on and win the Champions League following their hard-earned semi-final victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
The Black and Yellow are through to the final of Europe's premier club competition for only the third time after sealing a 2-0 aggregate over the reigning Ligue 1 champions, who struck the woodwork six times across both legs.
After Niclas Fullkrug settled last week's first leg at Signal Iduna Park, Hummels' second-half header was the difference in the return at Parc des Princes, where Edin Terzic's side produced another defensive masterclass as they claimed their sixth clean sheet in this season's competition.
Dortmund, who lifted the trophy 27 years ago, will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final at Wembley on June 1, and Hummels is confident he and his team-mates can go all the way.
"I've scored far too few Champions League goals in my career, just five," he told DAZN via Uefa.com. "Now is a good time to add to that number.
"Since the second match of the group stage, we've believed that we could prevail in every game - and I don't see why we shouldn't win at Wembley now.
"We remained active today and were able to take so much pace out of the game and atmosphere out of the stadium. That was our recipe for success today."
Hummels was part of the Dortmund side beaten 2-1 by Bayern in their most recent Champions League final appearance in 2013, along with Marco Reus.
The veteran midfielder announced last week that he would be leaving the club at the end of this season, and is thrilled to have one more crack at landing the biggest trophy in European club football.
"[It is] indescribable," he told DAZN. "After more than 10 years, I am in the final with Borussia again. Ousmane [Dembele] and Achraf [Hakimi] brought a tremendous amount of pace, and we suffered a lot.
"How we won the game, no-one will ask tomorrow. Shots against the post won’t matter tomorrow. What counts is that Borussia Dortmund are in the final again. Nobody expected this. It's just incredible."
Meanwhile Terzic, who saw his side surrender the Bundesliga title on the final day of last season, saluted the strides his players have made as the competition has progressed.
"Before the first game against PSV [in the round of 16], we talked for the first time about how short the journey to London could be," he said. "Back then, many were still puzzled. Last season, we lost the championship at home on the last matchday.
"I'm happy that we can now give something back to the fans. We've grown with every game and eventually realised that we could be the team that surprises everyone in the end. Now, I'm very happy to be in the final with my team."
'We weren't efficient' - Marquinhos bemoans PSG profligacy after Champions League exit
Marquinhos believes Paris Saint-Germain paid for their profligacy after suffering Champions League semi-final heartbreak against Borussia Dortmund.
Mats Hummels' second-half header from a Julian Brandt corner - the only goal at Parc des Princes - wrapped up a 2-0 aggregate victory for the Bundesliga side, who advanced to their third final and first since 2013.
Meanwhile, PSG's wait to land the elusive European crown goes on, despite a whopping 44 shots across the two legs, while they also struck the woodwork on six occasions - their overall tally of 14 the most recorded by a team during a single campaign.
Indeed, Luis Enrique's side failed to find the net in a home match for the first time since their 0-0 draw with Lorient in their first Ligue 1 match of the season, as their hopes of completing the treble vanished for another year.
"We lacked efficiency," Marquinhos told Canal+. "They scored two goals from corners and a through ball that we had worked on. We had to defend better. These are small details.
"We created chances, a lot more than them. We weren't efficient. They were efficient, they scored two goals and won both matches."
But despite the disappointment, the PSG skipper urged his team-mates to focus on the positives from their run to the semi-finals.
They recovered from a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United to finish second behind Dortmund in Group F, before overturning a 4-2 aggregate deficit to deny Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
"There are a lot of things to take away from this competition," Marquinhos added. "At the beginning of the season, no one believed that we would get this far. We've overcome a lot of obstacles, we shouldn't throw everything away now just because we're eliminated.
"You have to remember that it's a new team, with a new coach. There are some positives to bring back for next season. We wanted to go to Wembley for the fans and our families.
"You have to stay calm after the elimination. It's very hard. We've come very close. We had to win tonight and be more efficient."
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