Jaap Stam: Erik ten Hag needs time to rebuild 'struggling' United

Jaap Stam believes Erik ten Hag needs backing and patience as the new Manchester United manager oversees a rebuild with the whole world watching.

This will be a summer of change after a chastening season at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils all but certain to miss out on Champions League qualification as numerous players prepare to head for the exit.

Among the widespread changes will be a new man in the dugout as Ajax boss Ten Hag takes charge following the underwhelming interim reign of Ralf Rangnick, who hopes to have a greater impact as advisor.

Stam, a key member of United's 1999 treble-winning side, hopes his compatriot gets the backing required to turn things around as he makes the move from Holland to the Premier League.

"At the moment they’re struggling," the former Holland international said. "You see that it’s not going to go how everybody wants them to go, to play.

"You feel that – and that’s me being in Holland the majority of the time – everybody around the world is talking about United, how they’re playing and what they’re doing and that they want to have success.

"Erik has been doing well in Holland and everybody knows that as well. That’s why he got the job at United of course.

"We also need to understand that in the league in Holland the quality of the majority of teams is a lot less than how Ajax is but still you need to produce, so that’s still a very good thing that he’s done.

"Now he’s been given the chance to try to do the same at United and hopefully he can do.

"But he understands, and he knows as well, that the Premier League is totally different – the people, the press, the expectations, the pressure – to how it was in Holland.

"For him that’s going to be a learning curve but it’s very important that the