‘Same ambition’ – Erik ten Hag not feeling extra pressure over future from Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Erik ten Hag says he does not feel any more pressure to deliver for Manchester United following the arrival of new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

It was finally announced this week that Ratcliffe had completed his partial takeover of United, paying £1.25billion for a 27.7% stake in the club.

Ratcliffe described it as a ‘dream’ when he met with reporters on Wednesday in London.

As a result of Ratcliffe’s investment there has been lots of speculation about the future of Ten Hag, who was hired as manager at United in 2022. It is often the case that new owners want to bring in their own men, though fans will hope Ratcliffe is patient with the Dutchman.

The pressure mounted on Ten Hag earlier this season as United crashed out of the Champions League. His job now is to ensure the Reds qualify for next season’s competition by finishing in the top four.

Ten Hag is confident that he can deliver. Speaking to reporters on Friday, the manager said: “We are very aligned. We have the same ambition. We belong there [Champions League], we believe, we have to prove it.

“We speak a lot, there are many conversations with him, with Dave Brailsford about this club, about this team, about the structures, we are very aligned, it totally fits with ambitions I have, ambitions I had when I came in.

“I’m 19 months in and I see we are going in the right direction. We have had setbacks in the second season but you see the team coming, the squad developing, work hard on the training pitch, work hard during games.

“It’s important to have players fit but also to construct the squad, we will be strong and we will be even stronger when we add to this squad even more qualities.”

When asked if there was more pressure on him now following the arrival of INEOS, Ten Hag replied: “That will always be the case [more pressure] but I see the process and I see this team is developing, it’s progressing.

“I see we have now also the right age across the squad, we can make that even stronger and they will grow and we will do everything in our power. There is strong competition.

“Every game is a final for us because we have to be in the Champions League, the players want this, the team want this but we have to believe.”

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