Ten Hag sets pre-season start date

The most recent Premier League season concluded at Crystal Palace on Sunday, but it won’t be long before the Reds are back working at Carrington.

The 52-year-old, who has conducted an exclusive interview with club media, after officially beginning work as manager today (Monday), informed us that the members of the squad who are not involved in the upcoming international fixtures are due back from their holidays on Monday 27 June.

United’s pre-season schedule has already been announced, with the Liverpool clash in Bangkok kicking off Tour 2022 on Friday 12 July, before games against Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on 15 and 19 July respectively.

The Australia leg of the tour concludes with a game versus Aston Villa in Perth on 23 July and the Premier League kicks off a fortnight later.

“First, we have a break,” Erik said, when asked about his plans for the coming weeks.

“We will start pre-season on 27 June and I will get a few of the squad, of the individual players.”

World Cup qualifiers, Nations League fixtures and friendlies are scheduled for the first two weeks of June and several Reds have already been called up by their national teams, with more expected to be added.

“Not all the players will be coming in [on 27 June], because the ones who play internationals will have a longer break, because they play longer in this current season,” he added.

Ten Hag also pointed out that, although he expects additions to the squad in certain areas, United finished second in the league in 2020/21.

Therefore, he believes there is plenty to work with at Old Trafford already, as he sets out on his managerial journey here following three Eredivisie titles in four-and-a-half years with Ajax.

“In certain positions, we want to renew the squad, but as I said, one year ago, this squad was second in the league.

“So there is potential and I’m really looking forward to co-operating with the squad.”