Two years ago Mohamed Ihattaren was among the most sought after young players in world football after breaking into PSV Eindhoven’s first team. A move to Juventus followed, and an instant loan to Sampdoria, and for one reason or another, all his progress fell apart.
After failing to kick a ball for Sampdoria, Erik ten Hag’s Ajax came calling in January and secured Ihattaren on a 18 month loan, a gamble worth taking.
Ten Hag has not yet selected the midfielder for a single minute yet either. With accusations of a lack of professionalism in Italy, via Dutch newspaper AD, Ihattaren has been left trying to regain his fitness.
Despite securing the loan to bring him to Ajax, Ten Hag has showed his ruthless side, with a warning to the 20-year-old midfielder, which also show he will have short shrift to players at Manchester United who he believes are not up to standard.
Speaking to Voetball International, Ten Hag said: “‘Mo got into it because of a certain lifestyle and will now have to fight his way out of it. We all help him, but in the end he has to do it himself.
‘How satisfied am I? Well, I want him in the first [team], but he has to do that himself. If you can’t run, everything stops. By that I mean running at Eredivisie or Champions League level. Then you are asked that you can make metres at high speed and intensity. If you can’t, everything stops. It depends on him how fast that goes.”
Hard work required
Ten Hag is the current favourite for the Manchester United job, The Times reports, and if appointed, he will arrive at Old Trafford looking to set into play a new culture, on and off the pitch.
The Dutchman will expect total focus from his players and for them to be in top shape physically. If they are not up to the standard, they will not be given opportunities.
Ihattaren has not played a single minute for Ajax since his loan deal went through in January, nor has he even made the bench.
United’s players will be expected to turn up for pre-season in the best shape of their lives, and they should not need telling either, they should be motivated to come in and impress the new boss, and they will be expected to maintain those high standards through the season.
The manager’s comments on Ihattaren act as a warning to United’s players.
Ten Hag will not select them if they are not in the right shape, and that is only a positive trait for the potential new boss, who cannot afford to make decisions on the players based on reputation.
- Erik Ten Hag’s managerial record and style of play
- Erik Ten Hag’s five most expensive transfers
- Ajax’s last five managers before Ten Hag and where they are now
- Five Ajax players Ten Hag could sign for Manchester United
- Ten Hag’s comments when Van de Beek left Ajax for Old Trafford
- Six key issues for Manchester United’s next boss
- The three biggest wins of Ten Hag’s managerial career
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