Erik ten Hag denies bias after another double Dutch signing

Erik ten Hag dismissed suggestions he prefers players with experience of Dutch football after Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui became the latest to join Manchester United this week.

The defenders completed moves from Bayern Munich to Old Trafford on Tuesday, linking back up with their former Ajax manager ahead of the Premier League opener against Fulham.

Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez and Antony also played under Ten Hag in Amsterdam, while former loanee Sofyan Amrabat was managed by him at Utrecht.

Tyrell Malacia, Wout Weghorst and Joshua Zirkzee hail from the Netherlands, plus Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount played there, meaning 11 of the 20 signings made since his appointment in 2022 have a Dutch association.

Asked if that background was something he favoured or just a coincidence, Ten Hag said: "No, no, not for favourite. First of all, it's club decisions. None of them is only my decision.

"It’s always backed or even brought up through the scouting, recruitment, the technical director, the sporting director.

"It’s a decision made by more than only one but, yeah, some you know, the players and personalities, and also it has to fit also in the finance."

Mazraoui and De Ligt – who both hail from the Dutch town of Leiderdorp – joined United on Tuesday and go straight into the squad taking on Fulham in Friday’s Premier League opener.

The latter is a long-term target of the Old Trafford outfit and arrived from Bayern in a €45m deal that could rise to €50m.

"He has fantastic potential," Ten Hag said. "But Matthijs turned 25 this week and he has almost 375 games for Ajax, Juventus and Bayern Munich under the belt. That is incredible.

"Now he is turning into his best years. He has great skills as a footballer but also as a