Manchester United fans yearning for immediate Champions League qualification may have to adjust their expectations ahead of the 2024/25 season.
According to The Guardian, a top-four finish is not the primary objective, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe focusing on sustainable long-term excellence at Old Trafford.
While manager Erik ten Hag harbours ambitions of propelling United up the table, he and Ratcliffe’s football department, led by sporting director Dan Ashworth, acknowledge that the ongoing rebuild requires a measured approach.
Establishing a solid foundation to build upon is prioritised over immediate results.
This shift in focus grants Ten Hag some breathing room. His remit, in collaboration with Ashworth, is to orchestrate significant improvements on and off the pitch.
Following United’s dismal eighth-place finish last season, the club’s worst in Premier League history, a complete overhaul of the footballing strategy is underway.
The acquisitions of Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee emphasise the club’s lofty ambitions, but Ten Hag and Ashworth still want to bolster the squad further.
United want to sign a defensive midfielder and have identified Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte as a target. Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat is another option.
Off the field, Ratcliffe has green-lit a £50 million project to revamp United’s Carrington training complex, which could take the entirety of the upcoming season to complete.
The project will improve the training facilities for United’s men’s and women’s teams, but the initiative has caused a temporary stir.
While the club upgrades their infrastructure, the women’s team has been forced to use portable buildings, raising concerns about the short-term impact on the team’s environment.
Over 60 players were sidelined with serious fitness issues last season, and the injury crisis has also been a key area of focus.
Ten Hag has prioritised the players’ wellbeing, implementing a streamlined pre-season schedule to provide the squad with additional rest and recovery time.
