Erik ten Hag has claimed Manchester United are ‘not ready’ for the new season, despite opening the campaign at Old Trafford on Friday night.
Ten Hag made the staggering admission ahead of facing Fulham, but warned his players that they cannot hide from the spotlight.
‘The team is not ready,’ Ten Hag conceded. ‘But the league starts. We can’t hide from it. We have to deal with it.’
Many of Ten Hag’s squad went deep in the Copa America and at Euro 2024 and missed most, if not all, of the pre-season tour of the United States.
It means he has had just a handful of training sessions with the squad all together which has given him cause for concern.
Erik ten Hag (centre) has claimed Manchester United are ‘not ready’ for the new season
Ten Hag bemoaned his ‘complicated’ pre-season preparations ahead of the new season
‘It’s very complicated,’ he added.
‘[We had] the USA tour squad and then we added the players at Euros and Copa America and now new signings and we have to make a team from it.’
Ten Hag announced on Thursday that he is ready to throw Manchester United’s newest signings in at the deep end with both Matthjis de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui in line to make their debuts on Friday against Fulham.
Earlier this week United confirmed the £60million double signing of Bayern Munich duo De Ligt and Mazraoui.
While they have only had a handful of training sessions with their new team-mates, Ten Hag has no concerns about using them in the Premier League’s opener at Old Trafford.
‘Issues are there,’ Ten Hag explained. ‘But it’s not about the players who are not available. Same as last season it’s about the players who are available.
‘We have a good group, we can make a strong selection and we can put out a strong team and we will do. They will be in the squad and Harry Maguire will be in the squad as well.’
Luke Shaw will play no part against Fulham due to injury, but Ten Hag allayed fears of another lengthy lay-off by revealing the England left back is out for the ‘short term’ and it ‘won’t take long’.
Martthijs de Ligt (middle left) and Noussair Mazraoui (middle right) both arrived from Bayern
Man United will be looking to avenge last season’s loss to Fulham on the opening day
But Shaw’s absence, coupled with Tyrell Malacia, who played no part at all last season, remaining sidelined, it is likely to see Mazraoui thrust straight into the spotlight.
Right back, Mazraoui, 26, who can also play on the left, has joined for a fee of £12.8m (€15m) plus a possible £4.27m (€5m) in add ons on a deal until June 2028.
It is not the player’s versatility that appeals so much to Ten Hag but his temperament.
‘In English football there is always pressure on the ball and one of his key attributes is that it’s very difficult to put him under pressure,’ the United boss explained.
‘We can sort problems on the left side, with, for instance, Licha Martinez and Diogo Dalot is capable of playing there. Noussar can also fill the position.’
