Erik ten Hag has made his feelings clear about an influential Manchester United figure among his ranks ahead of the 2024-25 Premier League season.
The 54-year-old Manchester United manager is set to take charge of the club for his third season after Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe retained his services.
Erik ten Hag’s first-team squad was ravaged by injuries in the 2023-24 campaign, with United limping to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League table.
However, United signed off last season on a high note by lifting the FA Cup trophy after Ten Hag’s men beat Manchester City 2-1 at Wembley in May.
Ten Hag kicked off United’s pre-season tour last month and the Red Devils played their last friendly on Sunday in a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in the United States.
United will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Wembley for their Community Shield clash against Premier League champions Manchester City.
Ten Hag praises Man Utd legend’s influence
Manchester United will begin their 2024-25 Premier League season on 16th August when they host Fulham at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag has seen a shake-up to his United coaching staff this summer, with Rene Hake and Ruud van Nistelrooy arriving as his new assistant managers.
The former Ajax boss has also seen the arrival of new summer signings, including Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and Leny Yoro from Lille.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Ten Hag has insisted that his United players will only benefit from the words of wisdom from Red Devils legend Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The Dutchman waxed lyrical about Van Nistelrooy and suggested that the former United striker could help his whole team with their attacking dynamic.
“Of course, strikers can take benefit from him because he was such a great striker. He scored so many goals,” Ten Hag said.
“He carried so much success. So, yeah, definitely, he will help the strikers in different areas, but definitely on the mental side [he will] bring over his desire to win games by scoring goals.
“I have a strong belief in his skills to help our team, scoring goals, but also to help our team working as a team and that means attacking with the 11 [players] […] but he’s part of [the] 11 players.
“And so we will also act as we have to defend. We have to defend with 11 players and the front players are the first defenders.”
Van Nistelrooy on Man Utd approach
Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was a fan favourite when he was a player, revealed the blueprint of what he expects from the team under his watch as assistant manager.
“On a collective level, it’s important to get the different game phases into the team, what is expected in the pressing or in the build-up or in the mid-block or in all the phases of the game,” he told Manchester United’s official website.
“Like clear: what do we want? How do we want the execution to be and how do we translate it into the training pitch?
“I think we both are aligned with that and also with the manager, of course, and from there on you look to make an influence on individuals or units.
“In the end, when we’re on one page, then we are definitely the strongest. That’s our aim and it will take time, but I think we had a good start so far.”
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