Erik Ten Hag critical of United's Champions League performance amid plans for transfer window

Manchester United's boss, Erik Ten Hag, has stated he is impressed by the progress his side has made in his first year as manager at Old Trafford.

 

 

 

 

 

Manchester United are on course to secure a top-four finish with just a point needed from their last two games of the league campaign. With a Carabao Cup already added to the club's trophy cabinet and an Emirates FA Cup final showdown against Manchester City in anticipation, Erik Ten Hag believes his team is heading in the right direction.

 

“Well, I think we are in a good direction, but I also think we can learn from the season, and we have to evaluate it after the season and make the right conclusions for the future. And that's what we will definitely do after the season," Erik Ten Hag stated during his press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

 

The former Ajax boss was, however, critical of Manchester United's Champions League record in the past 12 years, as he pointed out that the 20-time Premier League champions have failed to progress past the quarterfinals of the pretigious UEFA competition.

 

A journalist threw him that question during his presser ahead of Chelsea's game, indicating that the Red Devils haven't passed the quarterfinals since losing to Barcelona in the 2011/12 Champions League final.

 

“It's true, but first you have to be in the Champions League before you can qualify for a semi-final or even more.”

 

"But it tells a lot about this club, where we are, and where I think we are now. We stepped up, but it's still a long way to go.”

 

With the club's much anticipated busy transfer window, the media enquired of the Red Devils boss regarding plans for the summer ahead of another tough Premier League season.

 

"Well, I think we are in a good direction, but I also think we can learn from the season, and we have to evaluate it after the season and make the right conclusions for the future," he stated. "And that's what we will definitely do after the season.”

 

"You've got to do the right things; you can have money, but you have to do it and spend it in a smart way, and you need to have a strategy behind it”.

 

“When there is no strategy or the right strategy, money doesn’t work”.

 

 

“I want to have players with the right characters and personalities who are outstanding and who can contribute at the highest levels."

 

"That is what we want, and that is what we have to work for. But in this moment, we focus on tomorrow and Chelsea. That's important, and the rest is not so important at this moment.”