Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed that while the team isn’t fully prepared for their Premier League season opener against Fulham on Friday, new signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui will be available for selection. The Dutch manager expressed his concerns about the team’s readiness during a press conference on Thursday.
Ten Hag acknowledged the challenges of integrating new players with limited preparation time, stating, “It’s true, it’s not the pre-season where in five to six weeks you work on a team, it’s very complicated.” He added, “The USA tour squad, and then we added the players (who had been at) Euros and Copa America and now new signings, and we have to make a team from it.”
Despite these challenges, Ten Hag emphasized that the team must face the reality of the league’s start, saying, “That team is not ready, but the league starts and more managers have this problem. Still, we have some room, have some principles and we have to make a start. We can’t hide, we have to deal with it.”
In team news, Harry Maguire is set to feature in Friday’s squad after missing England’s Euro 2024 campaign due to injury recovery. However, left-back Luke Shaw will be unavailable, with Ten Hag stating, “He will return in the short term, it doesn’t take long.” The manager mentioned that Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez, and Diogo Dalot could fill in at left-back.
Ten Hag, who recently signed a contract extension until 2026 following United’s FA Cup victory over Manchester City, expressed high expectations for the season. “We know our targets, we know our direction,” he said. “Now we have to integrate new players where we think they can improve the team levels and to take it from there.”
The manager’s comments reflect the ongoing challenges of squad integration and preparation that many top clubs face at the start of a new season, particularly following international tournaments and late transfer window activities. As Manchester United prepares to face Fulham at Old Trafford, all eyes will be on how quickly Ten Hag can mold his squad into a cohesive unit capable of competing for trophies.
