Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has insisted that one “young lad” at Old Trafford has the potential to succeed under Erik ten Hag at the Premier League club.
Erik ten Hag kicked off Manchester United’s pre-season tour this month ahead of his third season in charge of the Red Devils.
The 54-year-old Dutchman has been without several first-team players for the pre-season tour after the end of the 2024 Copa America and Euro 2024 in Germany.
United are currently in the United States for the second leg of their pre-season campaign, with the Red Devils suffering two defeats and one win on the tour.
Ten Hag’s men lost 1-0 to Norweigan side Rosenborg earlier this month before bouncing back with a 2-0 win over Scottish club Rangers in Scotland.
United’s first match in the United States for this summer’s pre-season tour ended in a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the SoFi Stadium in California.
Man Utd legend Stam on Ten Hag signing
Erik ten Hag’s first-team squad has seen some shake-up in the transfer window this summer, with both players leaving and arriving at Old Trafford.
Donny van de Beek, Mason Greenwood and Willy Kambwala are among the players who have been offloaded from Manchester United as part of the summer clearout.
Meanwhile, United have entered the window and have signed highly rated defender Leny Yoro from Lille and striker Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna.
Speaking to The Athletic, Jaap Stam candidly opened up on Dutch compatriot Joshua Zirkzee after his former club United landed him in a deal worth £36.5m.
Zirkzee has been absent from United’s pre-season tour and received an extended break after representing the Netherlands at this summer’s Euros.
Stam insisted that the 23-year-old Netherlands striker has a “lot” of quality and added that the Dutch presence at Old Trafford will only benefit Zirkzee.
However, the 52-year-old claimed that it will take time for Zirkzee to adapt to the Premier League and to handle the “pressure and expectation” of playing for the club.
“A young lad with a lot [of] quality, as he showed in Serie A,” Stam said.
“He needs time to adapt to the Premier League, not just the style of play but the pressure and expectation that comes at a huge club like United.
“I’ve been there, I know what it’s like. Different language, country, club, culture and players to what you are used to.
“It’s good for Joshua that there are a lot of Dutch there and he absolutely has ability.”
Stam on Man Utd manager Ten Hag
Stam revealed that his native homeland has a keen eye on the Premier League because of Ten Hag and spoke highly about the United manager.
“Interest in the Premier League is high in Holland, but even higher because of Erik [ten Hag] at United,” he said.
“I like Erik. I don’t know him that well as a person, but we have met up a couple of times briefly at Old Trafford.
“And there are others. Managers want to work with people who they know, people who will bring something different to their managerial team and I can see that in Erik’s appointments, especially this year.”
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