Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been told eight words that will test his Manchester United authority

"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."

The final eight words of those quotes regarding influencing transfers are fascinating now Ten Hag is working under a football structure created by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. To repeat them: Control in transfers is a condition for me.

Ten Hag has spent over £400million in two summer transfer windows and his fingerprints are all over the United squad, but recruitment will be different going forward.

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Ten Hag signed Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Casemiro on permanent deals in his first summer in charge at Old Trafford. Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund, Altay Bayindir and Jonny Evans were signed permanently last summer.

Six of the ten players permanently signed on Ten Hag's watch have Eredivisie pedigree. It quickly became clear he had a preference for players he'd previously seen up close and it must be remembered that Frenkie de Jong was his priority midfield target, not Casemiro.

Casemiro's decline has been remarkable over the last 12 months, but the Brazilian's first season was a resounding success and United needed his defensive discipline in midfield. De Jong wouldn't have worked at United because the midfield would have continued to be too lightweight.

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