Erik ten Hag on Antony coming good, Jadon Sancho clicking and ‘selfish’ players

Erik ten Hag has claimed Manchester United are still a “long way” from being able to win the Premier League and Champions League again.

Ten Hag signed a one-year contract extension to June 2026 this month after United’s new Ineos-led hierarchy kept faith with the Dutchman following an internal review, despite holding talks with half a dozen potential replacements.

Ten Hag has admitted he inherited a “no-good culture” at United and says he shared former interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s view of the club requiring “an operation of the open heart” as he warned fans that it would be some time before the team was in a position to challenge for Premier League and Champions League titles. United last won the league title in 2013 and the Champions League five years before that.

“Rangnick was absolutely right. We’ve been working very hard on that for two years, but he said it just right: it’s a ... very complex operation,” Ten Hag said in the second part of a lengthy interview with AD Sportwereld.

‘Our standards still need to go up’

“I knew when I started that it was going to be a tough job. There are a lot of people who have advised me. Louis van Gaal [the former United manager] too.

“We want this club back to where it was more than a decade ago, to a club that wins the Premier League, which can win Champions Leagues. We are really a long way away from that, I think.

“I think we’ve taken steps since then, otherwise we wouldn’t have won two prizes [the FA Cup and Carabao Cup]. But we are not yet so far that a ‘winning culture’ already prevails here in all respects. Our standards, our norms and values, still need to go up.

“I was not shocked [by what I inherited]. But the culture, the mentality was really not good. To win, to really achieve top performance every week, we had to change a lot.”

Here, Telegraph Sport takes a closer look at some of the main talking points addressed by the Manchester United manager in his AD Sportwereld interview.

Recruitment improvements under Ineos

Ten Hag is working under an entirely new football operations structure following the appointment of Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell as sporting director, technical director and director of recruitment respectively as well as Omar Berrada as chief executive.

Relations were strained as the new hierarchy held talks with half a dozen other managers as they debated Ten Hag’s future. But the Dutchman says they have pulled together since he signed a contract extension and is already feeling the impact of the influx of greater expertise in recruitment, scouting and strategy.

“That basis has been greatly strengthened,” he said. “A lot has been taken away from me in scouting and recruitment. That is necessary. You need a very strong structure in scouting and transfer policy. I can only be happy that I have Dan, Jason and Christopher at my side. The club has acquired incredible know-how and knowledge of the market that helps me. We have only been working with these new people for a few weeks but Ashworth is close by – a room away. The new owners take me more into the process. It’s early days but the signs are very good.”

‌Interest in Branthwaite and De Ligt

United have bought Leny Yoro from Lille for £58.8 million, with the France Under-21 defender making his debut against Rangers at Murrayfield on Saturday, and could yet sign a second centre-back this summer. Jarrad Branthwaite, of Everton, and Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, who played under Ten Hag at Ajax, are options.

“I will not specifically comment on whether or not we attract those two names,” he said. “It remains to be seen whether De Ligt will come. I know Matthijs well and I will not deny that. I wanted to sign him two years ago but at that time, he was already very far along to join Bayern Munich [from Juventus] but believe it or not, his name did not come from me in the process [of targeting signings].”

Defending the ‘Dutch’ influx at Old Trafford

United have signed a plethora of players from the Netherlands or with Dutch links or who played for or against Ten Hag. But the manager says the notion of him dictating transfer policy is false. “I know it creates a certain image,” he said. “But ultimately the criterion is: is the player good or not? Does it match in terms of character, age and quality? I also understand: if you don’t win, such an image will be magnified in the media. But whether a player has blond, red or black hair or comes from the Netherlands, Sweden or Russia... should you let it go because the outside world thinks so?

“We are moving in the right direction and can make a lot of progress next season. Ultimately, all the players who came are a joint decision. Almost all players also came from positive advice from scouting. I am open to any player the club puts forward. What I know is what the player will earn, because I deal with the hierarchy in the dressing room. But what the transfer fee is, or what the agent earns: I am not involved in that.”

‌The effect of spending restraints in the transfer window

Ten Hag felt he would need six transfer windows to adequately reshape United’s squad when he arrived in 2022 but says the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and Uefa’s own financial sustainability regulations have affected recruitment plans.

“United came out of a situation with a lot of long contracts,” he said. “That made it complicated to thoroughly refresh and strengthen the selection. When we started, my thought was that this could be solved in roughly six transfer windows. Formally, we have now had four transfer periods. But due to the situation surrounding Financial Fair Play we have only been able to actually do business in two periods.”

Ten Hag hoping flop Antony comes good

Antony endured a nightmare second season at Old Trafford with his dismal form on the pitch compounded by damaging allegations off it, with a former girlfriend claiming he assaulted her. The Brazil winger, who denies any wrongdoing, has got nowhere near to justifying his £85.5 million price tag. But Ten Hag, who has refused to accept any responsibility for the exorbitant fee the club opted to pay Ajax in 2022, is confident the player can turn things around.

“I don’t go over the budget. I’ve never even had a budget. At United, the budgets lie with the owners and management,” Ten Hag said. “He [Antony] certainly showed that potential in the first month: he scored three times in his first three games. After that it became more difficult, last season was not good. But I am still convinced that he has the potential to play at this club.”

Modern-day players ‘increasingly selfish’

Ten Hag says it is “not always easy” to pull players together and that “in a broader sense, this generation of footballers is becoming increasingly selfish”. The United manager feels that players come with such big entourages these days that it can create difficulties.

“Top players have all built an entire team around themselves,” he said. “From physios, personal trainers, media advisors, agents, families who have to eat along. There are so many people around it with their own interests. As a manager you have to deal with all that. To get everyone moving in the same direction is not easy.”

‌Ten Hag backs Sancho to click

Sancho made his first appearance for United for almost 11 months against Rangers after being exiled for effectively accusing Ten Hag of lying over the reasons for his absence against Arsenal last September. The pair agreed to draw a line under their rift during talks last week and Ten Hag is hoping United fans see the best of the England forward next season.

“We spoke well. Everyone can make a mistake. If the player reflects on this well, you draw a line and move on,” the United manager said. “This club needs good players, and one thing is certain: Jadon Sancho is a very good player. I hope that we will still click and that he will contribute to our success.”

Slot a ‘very good match’ for Liverpool

Ten Hag will not have to wait long to face his compatriot Arne Slot, with United due to face Liverpool at Old Trafford in their third Premier League game. England’s two most successful clubs being managed by Dutchmen is a “fantastic” advert for football in the Netherlands, according to Ten Hag, who believes the former Feyenoord coach is a “very good match” for Liverpool.

“We haven’t had contact yet but that will happen,” Ten Hag said of Jürgen Klopp’s successor at Anfield. “It is fantastic what Arne has achieved at Feyenoord, how he has helped that club get back on track. And the football that Liverpool prefers to play also suits Arne Slot completely. I think it’s a very good match.”