Ten Hag on Utd transfer latest ahead of huge Liverpool game (Full Presser)
Ten Hag on Utd transfer latest ahead of huge Liverpool game
30/08/2024
Carrington Training centre, Manchester, UK
30/08/2024
Carrington Training centre, Manchester, UK
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00:00Eric, hi. We've been waiting for news on Scott McTominay and Manuel Guardi for a couple of days now.
00:07I know there's not been any official announcement, but can you update anything yet?
00:12It looks like you know everything, so, Simon, I can't tell you more than you already know.
00:22So it's not completed yet.
00:26But the deadline closes at 11 o'clock, so presumably you expect it to be completed.
00:31Yes, we expect it, but I can't confirm it by now.
00:36Can you also update what the situation is with Jadon Sancho?
00:41He's playing our squad and we are happy with him.
00:46We need a good squad, we need depth in the squad.
00:50We have to play many games until January, so the new format of Europe.
00:58After the break we will play every third game, so we need absolutely options.
01:04So you expect him still to be here after this evening?
01:10As I know, yes.
01:12Melissa.
01:14Erik, what's the latest with Rasmus Hoyland and when can we expect him back in first-team training?
01:21After the break, but when?
01:24After the break, I think it's three weeks from now.
01:28We have to see how it develops, how we can progress during the break to get a match fit.
01:36He returned on the pitch, but it will take a while before he's up.
01:41Everyone has seen how it happens in the first game,
01:45so we need to co-op and build some fitness.
01:49I know you can't confirm anything, but you would have seen the scenes yesterday
01:54of Scott McTominay at Naples Airport getting a very warm welcome by the fans.
01:59Was that a nice thing for you to see?
02:01A massive smile on his face, him being so welcomed so quickly?
02:05It's a little bit mixed.
02:08I'm very happy for him and it's also for us,
02:12but it's mixed because I wouldn't prefer to lose him
02:19because he is Man United in everything.
02:22He was so important for our team, for Manchester United.
02:27He was here for over 22 years, but unfortunately it's the rules.
02:32We have to discuss the rules.
02:35You have to do sales and then obviously homegrown players,
02:40so academy players, they bring more value.
02:44That's not the right thing to do,
02:46but I think for everyone, for all parts, it's a good deal.
02:52For Scott, he's happy with it.
02:55Of course for Napoli, a very good player, but also for us.
02:59Eric, looking ahead to this weekend,
03:02what is the team news heading into Liverpool?
03:05What do you mean by team news?
03:07You want to have the line-up?
03:09In an ideal world, yes, but I don't think you're going to give us that.
03:13Are we looking at the same again or do you have more options this weekend?
03:17No, we have an amazing amount.
03:20We've all seen he's not available for the weekend.
03:25I think that's it.
03:28For the rest, it's the same squad as last week.
03:32With Liverpool in mind, you had two good games against them
03:35at Old Trafford in the League Cup last year.
03:38Is it a tie that excites you coming so early in the season
03:41and what differences have you already seen
03:43in the way Arnaud Slot lines up his team?
03:46It's always when Liverpool come, it's very exciting.
03:49We are really looking forward to competing with them.
03:54We have a good squad, we can bring a good team out.
03:59Of course, it's early in the season,
04:02we have to progress, we have to improve.
04:05Also because we have to integrate some new players in,
04:09but we are really looking forward to this game.
04:12Neil, what are you getting with the new player
04:16that you maybe didn't have with Scott?
04:18Why have you made the change?
04:21With the new player?
04:23To make a change, I think you can't...
04:26It's not a comparison.
04:29It's not that you can compare those two players
04:32because they are different players.
04:35We had three number 10s
04:38and we didn't have any more holding midfielders.
04:42We had one, so that is the idea behind it.
04:46Samuel.
04:48Eric, Dan Ashworth said the UEFA draw regarding the trust window,
04:52let's see what happens.
04:54The window is still open, we have some conversations going on.
04:57Do you think there will be any more incomings
05:00or do you think the next player will be the final player to come in?
05:03Dan Ashworth said everything,
05:06so I don't have to go into this,
05:11because it's already set.
05:15I think we always look for opportunities
05:18to bring out the best squad we can have.
05:21Marcus Rashford has got a very good record against Liverpool,
05:25but he had some criticism from Alan Shearer last week.
05:28You took him off just after Ahmad scored.
05:32Is he lacking confidence?
05:34I know you said a couple of weeks ago he wasn't,
05:36but he's had some good chances this season.
05:38Everyone gets criticism from you guys,
05:41it doesn't matter what we are doing.
05:43If I take a player off,
05:46it's a conclusion, I'm not happy with him.
05:49I was very happy with Reci.
05:52In pre-season, against Fulham,
05:55also against Brighton,
05:58it was not that I took him off
06:01because his performances or his level was not right.
06:04No, we have to rotate.
06:06We have good players on the bench as well.
06:08You bring new energy to win the game
06:11and there will be a rotation.
06:13If the conclusion is a player is not performing,
06:16it can be sometimes,
06:18but definitely it wasn't in this case.
06:21It's a stupid analysis from a pundit.
06:27You've talked about the no-good culture you inherited
06:30when you first came here,
06:32and all the work you've had to do behind the scenes
06:34and the work that continues to go on with the structure.
06:36With regard to Liverpool,
06:37do you think Arnist Lotz had it easier than you
06:40with the club that finished third?
06:42The structure was already in place,
06:43the players were there.
06:44Has he had it easier than you to slot in?
06:46Whereas you've had to do so much more work behind the scenes
06:48to get this squad and this club
06:50back to where you want it to be.
06:52That was one of the reasons
06:55I wanted to come here,
06:57to have this challenge.
06:58I knew on the forehand
06:59this is the most difficult thing
07:01I could ever do in life.
07:04To come in a club
07:05where there are a lot of problems
07:08which we had to solve.
07:10Because I inherited a history
07:13of no trophies for six years.
07:16That meant that the dressing room
07:18and the qualities were not right.
07:20So we had to build,
07:23we had to construct,
07:24we had to perform
07:28and bring up a higher level.
07:31We did this with transfers,
07:35but also we did it
07:37by bringing academy players
07:39into the team.
07:40What you see now,
07:42we brought new players in
07:44but many young players
07:46and we are in a life cycle
07:49at the start.
07:50We are still in this transition stage,
07:53we have young players
07:54and now we have to make a team from it.
07:57But we have young players,
07:59we brought them in,
08:00young players,
08:01the academy players
08:02and now we have to construct a team
08:04for the future.
08:05Arne Sloot hasn't had that challenge
08:07has he so far?
08:08He's just inherited a great team.
08:10But I'm not here
08:13to talk for him
08:15but Liverpool,
08:16it's clear,
08:17they are in a different
08:19phase of the life cycle.
08:21They have a team
08:23that's mature.
08:25So players already
08:27who are long together,
08:28playing long together
08:29and who are very experienced
08:31and we are much more a mix
08:33and we have to build a new team.
08:37Do you think
08:38because of the job he's taking on
08:40it suits you to catch him
08:42early in the season
08:43to try and get him early
08:44in that cycle
08:45that gives you more of a chance
08:47to win this game?
08:48We can always win.
08:49Also last year
08:50we won in the second part
08:52of the season.
08:53But you're facing somebody
08:55who you know full well
08:57how difficult it is
08:58coming into this country
08:59and it's probably better
09:01to face him earlier
09:02than to face him
09:03in six months' time?
09:04I'm not sure
09:05because
09:06as you say
09:07there is a team
09:09and the structures
09:11are really clear.
09:14I think the players
09:16the partnerships
09:18the relationship
09:19in that team
09:20are very clear
09:21and that is what
09:22he inherited
09:23that is built
09:24over the past years
09:25and still things
09:27are still the same
09:28but also
09:29I have seen
09:30some things already
09:31brought in.