“It’s the biggest club in the world and he is taking over when they’re in disarray” – Paul Merson highlights ‘massive job’ Ten Hag must do at Manchester United
Paul Merson believes new Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has a "massive job" on his hands ahead of the new season.
The Dutch manager has joined the Red Devils after five incredibly successful seasons at Ajax. In this period, he won three Eredivise titles, while also implementing an attractive style of play.
However, Manchester United finished with their lowest ever points total in the Premier League era last season. With the prospect of Europa League football next season, Merson has warned the 52-year-old Ten Hag that he is facing a huge rebuilding job at Old Trafford.
Merson told Sky Sports:
"If Ten Hag managed for the rest of his life, it'll never be harder than what he's taking on now. This is a massive job. It's the biggest club in the world and he is taking over when they're in disarray.
"He needs to bring in as many players as he can because this team is not going to get you in the top four. They need to bring certain players in - (Frenkie) De Jong at Barcelona, he's a good footballer - and then you move on from there. They need at least three or four players just to make a challenge for fourth place."
Manchester United reportedly turned down by Premier League star
The Red Devils are still searching for their first signing of the Ten Hag era. Fans worried about a lack of transfer activity won't be pleased to hear the latest rumours coming out of the Northwest giants.
According to TalkSPORT, Christian Eriksen has turned down a contract offer from the club, with his current deal at Brentford set to expire.
The 30-year-old was released by Inter Milan last year due to health concerns. However, he made a stunning impact on the newly promoted Premier League outfit following his arrival in January.
The Denmark international has scored once and provided four assists in his 11 top-flight appearances. He has attracted interest from a number of high-profile clubs due to his contract expiring at the Brentford Community Stadium.
Eriksen's rejection of United will come as a huge blow for a side who are looking to replace the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, and Juan Mata. All these players have announced that they will be leaving the three-time European champions on free transfers at the end of June.