Manchester United mean well with Erik ten Hag but it could be damaging the team

Erik ten Hag has been given the backing in the boardroom that most managers can only dream of.

Normally a manager would have to possess the sort of faith which Sir Alex Ferguson was able to create in order to dictate transfer policy like Ten Hag has. Manchester United's scouts were all in on Pau Torres and wanted the club to sign the Villarreal centre-back but the Dutchman was able to hold his own during discussions.

Ten Hag was adamant that he wanted Lisandro Martinez and lo and behold a few weeks later the former Ajax man arrived at the Theatre of Dreams. This, in many ways, is how a board and manager should interact.

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Directors of football should work at the manager's behest, and the same goes for the scouting department. The last word should always be with Ten Hag.

Typically United are currently in a situation which is the exception to the rule. It is hard to see how many boards would have continued to negotiate with Barcelona considering the current financial circumstances.

Barca have somehow managed to suck the Reds into their farce with United being made to look like the foolish party. In truth it is the mismanagement of Frenkie de Jong by the La Liga club which is to blame for this mess.

United will be hopeful that eventually the Catalan club buckle and that De Jong is able to agree to a move with his deferred wages having been received. But this backing of Ten Hag could be to the Reds' detriment.

It is obvious that De Jong has always been the boss' number one target but it would seem that this has come at the expense of other potential alternatives. Earlier this week MEN Sport revealed that United are sticking with the De Jong chase as they