Erik ten Hag has made a demand that Sir Jim Ratcliffe might not accept at Manchester United

"I set requirements in advance about how I want to work," Erik ten Hag told a Dutch newspaper following his appointment as Manchester United manager in the spring of 2022.

"If they aren't granted, I won't do it. I am ultimately responsible and accounted for the results. I don't want to be the sole ruler, I stand for cooperation, but control in transfers is a condition for me."

Ten Hag signed Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Casemiro in his first summer in charge and only the latter arrived without having once played in the Eredivisie. There were waffles and bottles of Heineken in the press conference room at Old Trafford when Ten Hag was unveiled to the media and that signalled a Dutch revolution in Manchester for a second time.

ALSO READ: Pellistri attracting loan interest

ALSO READ: United have already replaced Sancho

The difference between Ten Hag and Louis van Gaal is that although the 72-year-old recruited players with Eredivisie pedigree, his transfer policy was not solely based on signing players from that division.

Ten Hag signed Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat (on loan) in his second summer, which means six of the ten players permanently signed on his watch have history in the Eredivisie.

Only Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Jonny Evans and Altay Bayindir don't and anyone who has watched the Eredivisie should know the standard of the division is a world away from the Premier League.

It's therefore dangerous to operate with such a Dutch-heavy influenced transfer policy and that explains why the club's recruitment has continued to be hit-and-miss over the last 18 months.

Antony has been a particularly disastrous signing and he doesn't reflect well on his manager, who