Manchester United are looking to strengthen behind the scenes to support manager Erik ten Hag.
Erik ten Hag is set to receive a little help next season with new additions to his Manchester United coaching staff.
Go Ahead Eagles boss Rene Hake is incoming, along with Ruud van Nistelrooy. Fabrizio Romano reports on X that both are incoming, along with the manager’s new contract.
This is very much an appointment made with Ten Hag’s approval. And it could really work out to his benefit.
Rene Hake style of play
ESPN Netherlands expert Milan van Dongen has explained via YouTube that he believes this strengthens the Manchester United boss’ position.
He said: “I think Erik ten Hag gained some power in the latest negotiations with Ineos. I think this is sort of a power move.”
Van Dongen explained how Ten Hag met Hake at a coaching seminar back in 2015 and they have remained friends since, with the Manchester United boss particularly admiring his work ethic.
Importantly, he explains, Hake’s preferred playing style is very similar to the one utilised by Erik ten Hag at Ajax.
He said: “You can compare it to the way Ajax played under Erik ten Hag, a lot of pressing, a lot of attacking football, keen to have possession, playing a dominant way.
“May be also the football Erik ten Hag wants to play at United and hasn’t been able to achieve until now, in some matches he did but not in all matches, you could compare him to the way Ten Hag wants to play.
“Its really logical, they are good friends, they talk a lot about football, about vision, it’s not a surprise.”
United must pay a small release clause to Go Ahead Eagles to pay Hake out of his contract, which he renewed last October.
Erik ten Hag has opportunity to play the Ajax way
Erik ten Hag caused a lot of controversy earlier this season with one of his responses in an interview.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Ten Hag said he could not play the Ajax way at Manchester United – which to many, was the key reasons he was hired in the first place.
He said: “I can’t play like Ajax because I have different players.”
This caused some dismay among United fans – especially as Ten Hag had played a central part in the recruitment of players during his first two summer transfer windows.
Last season was one where Ten Hag had to abandon some principles, to deal with a severe injury crisis. But at times his United side looked directionless.
Now with Hake on board, Ten Hag has an extra voice to reinforce his plans, and get his message across to the first team squad.
This can only be a positive for United supporters, keen to see Ten Hag coach a possession-dominant team with a freescoring attack and mean defence, just like his Ajax side.