There was a shift in the direction of Manchester United’s transfer policy over the summer, putting all their focus on young players. Their oldest new boy was Noussair Mazraoui at the tender age of 26 as Erik ten Hag and Ineos collaborated on a long-term plan. But to make it successful, progress needs to be made on last season’s finish of eighth.
It was a more methodical approach to acquire players with the chance to develop within the club, to make them stronger for years to come. Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte, without a minute of Premier League experience between them, joined Old Trafford’s youthful revolution with plenty of pedigree, but a struggling side is looking for an uplift against Tottenham on Sunday.
Ten Hag does not consider this a gamble on youth. “Those are the choices we have made in the last two seasons – and I understand the impression that many have for Manchester United because the history is so big,” said United’s manager. “But those are the choices we have made. Also, it has something to do with financials and other restrictions we have to deal with.
“We made the choice for younger players and you can’t expect them to be at the [top] level. We have to improve them and they have to improve themselves and we have to find a team that can be successful on a consistent basis. This team, in the last two years, has shown what they can do with patience. With patience we can win trophies and now we have to get more consistent.”
Time is a precious commodity in football, rarely extended to United managers languishing in mid-table. Gone are the days of spending £62m on an ageing Casemiro and United’s £113.2m loss last year was indicative of the waste generated within the club. Although the Brazilian was crucial in the first season when United qualified for the Champions League, his decline has been obvious. United have not paid a fee for a player over the age of 27 since Ten Hag’s first window, an indication of the shifting sands.
The club’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, the technical director, Jason Wilcox, and the Ineos regime steered the recruitment policy but Ten Hag was still granted players he knew in De Ligt and Mazraoui from managing Ajax, while his Dutch compatriot Zirkzee was also added. The 18-year-old Yoro is yet to play after suffering a pre-season injury, while Ugarte awaits his first Premier League start as Ten Hag seeks the correct balance of youth and experience. United have struggled in tight games of late when a lack of knowhow has been apparent.
In order for promising talent to thrive it needs a guide. Bruno Fernandes is captain and leads by example through grit and determination but it could be the case that the 23-year-old Ugarte replaces the 32-year-old Christian Eriksen from the team that started the goalless draw at Crystal Palace last Saturday to be part of what would be Ten Hag’s youngest Premier League starting XI with an average age of 24.
“They will be judged every game and that’s normal,” Ten Hag said. “Everyone, for every game, is expecting United to be winning. We know that. It isn’t a secret for anyone. When you are in this club you have to deal with this factor and we do. It doesn’t matter whether you are young or old.”
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The former captain Harry Maguire has been replaced at centre-back by De Ligt while Casemiro lost his place after the debacle of the home defeat by Liverpool and Eriksen’s position is under scrutiny after the mistake that led to Twente’s equaliser in the 1-1 Europa League home draw on Wednesday. They could find themselves on the bench next to Jonny Evans, the other player over 30, bar the third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton, currently available to Ten Hag.
The spotlight is on the manager and his charges, who have won and lost twice then drew their fifth Premier League game to leave them in mid-table. “First of all, respect the criticism,” Ten Hag said. “There are many, you can have an opinion about football. When you are in the job, you have to deal with this. But I can’t take every criticism into account. I don’t read all the criticism, it’s not even possible. I don’t even want to know. I need to know some and some are very good advice.”
Alan Hansen once had some blunt counsel to Alex Ferguson: “You can’t win anything with kids.” That gamble was justified, Ten Hag can’t allow this house to lose again.