By Mukwuzi Joseph
Erik ten Hag will start work on Manchester United’s rebuild on Monday after Ajax concluded their season over the weekend.
The incoming coach intends to waste no time at all forward planning for his new position and is even skipping a post-season trip to Curacao with the Ajax players.
But he won’t be in Manchester right away with interim manager Ralf Rangnick still in charge ahead of Sunday’s final Premier League game of the season away to Crystal Palace.
He told De Telegraaf: ‘We have agreed that I will be employed by Manchester United from May 16. There are still a few things that need to be done in preparation for the season.
‘Among other things, with regard to the make-up of the staff and the composition of the squad.
‘I will leave my mark and I have to do it very carefully.’
United have yet to conclude their Premier League campaign and travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday as they attempt to secure a sixth-place finish and qualify for the Europa League rather than the Europa Conference League.
Reports suggest that Ten Hag may be present at Selhurst Park for the game at the weekend and has already started work on the extensive rebuild needed to restore United to a title-challenging side.
‘It’s time to turn the switch now,’ he said following Ajax’s draw. ‘It’s something that is needed because there is a lot to take care of and I have the energy for it.
‘Tomorrow there will be a party with the (Ajax) staff, but I am not going to Curacao (a Dutch Caribbean island). I think that’s understandable. There is a lot of work to do there (United). That is the case with every club.
‘A number of things still need to be organized in the staff and also in the selection. We will be working intensively on this from tomorrow.’
Ten Hag has signed a three-year contract to take over from current interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who came in for the fired Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November but has failed to lift the team.
The incoming coach has already held a planning meeting in Amsterdam on Thursday last week, the day after Ajax sealed their latest league title win.
Sportsmail understands that Steve McClaren was summoned to Holland as part of the talks – a major indication that the former England boss is closing in on a return to United under Ten Hag.
Ten Hag led a strategy meeting – that included his long-term assistant Mitchell van der Gaag and a member of staff from United’s recruitment team – understood to be football director John Murtough.
Deciding on his backroom team is merely one part of an overflowing in-tray for Ten Hag, who must make quick decisions on which players of the squad to retain and which to jettison.
Transfer targets, which were discussed at the Amsterdam summit, are also a top priority as the window opens next month with reinforcements required in several positions.
Ten Hag will hope to have at least some of this transfer business done by the time United embarks on a pre-season tour of East Asia and Australia in July.
They are set to face Liverpool in Bangkok on July 12 before flying to Melbourne for two fixtures.
