Manchester United can move on from the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era in earnest this summer once their new manager starts.
Erik ten Hag will be installed once the season finishes and to say he has a big job ahead is an understatement.
Naturally, all the focus will be on what kind of team he will build. What players will he bring in? However, what players he gets rid of will be more important to his success than who he signs.
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For years, Manchester United has been built on a philosophy of signing a £100 million player in every position. Of course that helps, but with such fierce competition it’s no longer enough.
All season long we have heard stories about how dysfunctional the Manchester United dressing room is. They are in a similar position to where Arsenal found themselves up until a year ago.
In transition from a legacy manager, the squad is a hotch-potch of players brought in by several different coaches. When you continue to bring in expensive players and older players, without a clear plan for how it all comes together, you end up with a disaffected group.
The problematic characters need to be weeded out before a real team can begin to take shape. A player who comes in for much criticism is Paul Pogba, and when you have a brand that takes precedence over who you are as a player, this is to be expected.
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However, the club has failed Pogba as much as he has failed them. With Juventus, he was one of the brightest young stars in the world. For France, he is capable of being an inspirational, World Cup winning leader.
At Old Trafford, he has never had the structure around him to thrive, and he will likely leave this summer. The hierarchy must resist the temptation to simply replace him with another high profile midfielder.
In Erik ten Hag, United have a manager who is capable of building a team and improving players. The question is, will he be able to supersede the club’s long established commercial approach?
