Erik ten Hag faces biggest rebuilding job in Manchester United’s recent history

With every passing day, Erik ten Hag’s job gets harder and harder.

On Thursday night, Manchester United sleepwalked their way to an uninspiring 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Old Trafford, all but extinguishing any lingering hopes of a top four finish.

Coming on the back of defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal, it was yet another indication that Ralf Rangnick’s interim appointment has done little to close the gap on United’s traditional rivals.

Few will argue that this dysfunctional squad needs a major overhaul this summer, with ten Hag building almost from scratch.

There has been talk of United needing to get rid of over 10 players, permanently or on loan, but this surely will not happen in one transfer window.

Ten Hag has signed a three-year contract, with an option of a fourth, and as things stand it may take most of this period to restore luster to the Old Trafford club, which will end a fifth consecutive season without a trophy.

The new coach has set out his plans for the future, with nearly $250 million promised for new signings, a budget on potential sales.

At his current club Ajax, ten Hag has not been known for splashing millions on players, instead preferring to refine young talent from the club’s academy or bring in untapped signings.

This is not something that will be afforded at Old Trafford. The Dutchman takes over a broken team that needs immediate fixing. Manchester United currently have the highest average age among the traditional Big Six clubs in Premier League (27.6 years), slightly above Manchester City’s 27.5 and Liverpool’s 27.1.

It is perhaps the only comparison in which United are close to arguably Europe’s best two teams. Elsewhere, there are none at all.

In order to implement his plans, the