Erik ten Hag makes sporting director admission as Man Utd step up Dan Ashworth approach

Erik ten Hag has admitted he will not have any input in the appointment of a new sporting director, and said he is not aware of any immediate changes at Manchester United.

The club have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of Dan Ashworth to come in as the their sporting director from Newcastle United, while further reports on Thursday suggested Jason Wilcox has been earmarked as a potential senior appointment at Old Trafford.

It comes as Sir Jim Ratcliffe closes in on his purchase of a minority stake in United, with the Ineos lead shareholder’s investment approved by the Premier League and the Football Association this week. The purchase of 25 percent of Class-A shares is the only major hurdle Ratcliffe needs to overcome before he can officially become a co-owner, and that is expected to be concluded next week.

In the meantime, key individuals are being sounded out and Ten Hag said he is happy with the direction the club are headed under Ineos.

“I am here and I know and in what construction I am working and I am very happy in that construction,” the United manager explained on Thursday. “I don’t know anything about changes [of sporting director]. 

“I talk with the new sporting organisation but it is not up to me. I am working and my focus point at this moment is on this team. We plan in this construction what we have in the club and for the future. We have a look and now the window closed in January we are working on the plans for the summer.

“I think it is very important you are on one page about football philosophy, about football tactics, about the profiles of the players you need in the team so it is very important to have very good communication so you get the right players,” he added. 

“It is one of the most important factors to develop a good team, that you have the right players but also the right characters. That means you have to do the right work and be aligned and it's a long process to get the right players in.”

As Ineos begin to assemble a 'best-in-class' backroom group, it contrasts drastically with the approach under the Glazers that has seen United fall behind rival clubs. But Ten Hag is hopeful that things will take a positive upturn under Ineos' watch.

"I am happy but a club like Manchester United also have to look for better, never be satisfied, good is not good enough, always looking for better and always try to every day to do better than the day before," he explained.

"We are a club, we are not an isolated department the first team but I think for the mood of the club it is very important that the first team is performing and getting the right results."

On Ineos, he added: “You see, you feel that ambition and it brings a mood and brings a spirit in this club which belongs to this club. I think the players, the staff are very aligned with the ambitions of Ineos because that’s why are here, that's why we’re playing for Man United.

"We want to win and achieve the highest. We are very aligned, we have to make strategies and we have to execute strategies to prove the ambitions."