Erik ten Hag could show ruthless streak by selling Manchester United partnership

Erik ten Hag is a man on a mission. After a promising first year as Manchester United manager the Dutchman is determined to accelerate the process of reshaping his squad this summer.

In a transfer window likely to be defined by the need to balance the books and adhere to Financial Fair Play pressures, which restricted United to three cut-price loan deals in January, Ten Hag is going to demand he is backed again this summer.

It doesn’t feel like a coincidence that Ten Hag presided over Ajax’s three biggest transfer windows ever and then United’s most extravagant summer in his first year at the club. He is by no means a chequebook manager, but he is demanding of his recruitment department and has a habit of getting what he wants.

But as much as he will focus on trying to up the quality of his squad this year, he is continuing to show his ruthless side. Come the end of this window it will be fascinating to see just how much United’s squad has changed in a little over a year of Ten Hag’s stewardship.

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There was a hint of that approach last summer, although it wasn’t really led by Ten Hag. Andreas Pereira, Tahith Chong and James Garner were sold for fees and Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Edinson Cavani were released.

Maybe the sale of Garner, a promising academy graduate that fans wanted to see given a chance, was the biggest hint of Ten Hag’s ruthless approach to transfers. There is talent in Garner, but Ten Hag had decided he wasn’t quite good enough and was instead worth banking a profit for.

A year on the cull is set to continue. Maybe that trait of Ten Hag’s will be best exemplified if he goes