Steve McClaren says Erik ten Hag shares the same quality as Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson

Steve McClaren believes that new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag shares the same qualities as the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.

It was widely reported on Tuesday that Ten Hag has agreed a deal in principle with United to become the club’s next manager and will join up with the Red Devils in the summer on a four-year deal.

United identified the Ajax boss as their No.1 choice to replace interim manager Ralf Rangnick last month and, unsurprisingly, debate has already started on what the 52-year-old will bring to Old Trafford and whether he is the right man to take on what some have described as the biggest and toughest job in world football.

One person who definitely thinks Ten Hag is up for the task is McClaren, who worked with the Dutchman while managing Eredivisie side Twente in the 2008/09 season.

‘We were starting pre-season training the day after I was appointed,’ McClaren told The Athletic.

‘He brought out this folder, and there were six weeks worth of pre-season training planned in there. Every minute of every day was laid out, from drinks sessions to warming down, to individual work. It was so detailed. I’d not seen anything like it before, and I’ve not seen anything like it since.

‘He would prepare meticulous game plans about the opposition. How we were going to press, how we were going to build up. I thought I knew football before, but going there and experiencing that… I knew nothing about football.’

A two-time Eredivisie winner, Ten Hag gained notoriety for taking Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, beating Real Madrid and Juventus along the way, but the United job will be a whole new challenge.

The club have won just three major trophies since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, and Ten Hag