Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag faces a defining season in his career as he looks to win back the trust of the Old Trafford faithful after a dismal eighth place finish last term.
Last season, on the final competitive outing, the former Ajax boss was able to rescue his job when all hopes looked lost as his team pulled off a remarkable victory against bitter-city rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The result put to bed any speculation surrounding his imminent sacking and leaves him with enough credit in the bank to usher in a new era of talent at Old Trafford while working closely with new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and new sporting director Dan Ashworth.
Ten Hag is working to strike a number of key deals in the transfer window to avoid a repeat of last season’s failings in the league, but what can we expect from the new-look Manchester United and how are they likely to line-up next term? Here’s a potential Red Devils XI if the transfer rumours are true.
1. GK:Andre Onana
Andre Onana enjoyed a steady first season at Old Trafford despite injuries to numerous defenders that played in front of him. | Manchester United via Getty Imag
2. Diogo Dalot
Diogo Dalot has been a solid performer at Manchester United for a number of seasons and is likely to be first choice even if Noussair Mazraoui arrives from Bayern Munich. | Getty Images
3. CB: Matthijs de Ligt
Erik ten Hag gave Matthijs de Ligt his breakthrough at Ajax and remains a big admirer of the 24-year-old centre back. As it stands, the Red Devils are actively working to strike a deal with Bayern Munich. | AFP via Getty Images
4. CB: Jean-Clair Todibo
With summer signing Leny Yoro sustaining a three month injury, it is likely that the Red Devils will turn their attention to another Ligue 1 centre back in Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo, who recently hinted that he is open to the idea of joining a Premier League club. | AFP via Getty Images