Erik ten Hag can't ignore troubled Manchester United position in transfer window

Erik ten Hag has got a hell of a job on his hands and it will start before a ball is even kicked under his watch.

The summer transfer window will be absolutely crucial for the chances of Ten Hag's first season in charge of Manchester United ranking as a success. As Ralf Rangnick has pointed out, several players are needed but there is no reason why a significant chunk of the work can't be pulled off in the summer as long as the club finally pull their finger out.

United's new manager will need serious backing not just in terms of funding but also in trusting his decisions on who he wants to buy and who he wants to get rid of. United's squad is likely to see a mass exodus very soon, which gives Ten Hag the perfect opportunity to work from a half-clean slate.

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Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Lee Grant will all leave when their contracts expire following the conclusion of the season, while the futures of Cristiano Ronaldo, Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek, Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and even Marcus Rashford are all in doubt.

With six players definitely out the door and the potential for another seven to join them, United may finally be getting the clearout they have so desperately needed for a number of years. However, the task will be replacing those departing bodies not with quantity but with quality.

It's already clear which positions will likely be targeted the most. United's options in midfield are already poor and they're set to become even worse with Pogba and Matic's departures so a new dedicated defensive midfielder - with a deal being worked on for Leeds' Kalvin