Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said he’s built an “intense relationship” with the club’s new technical director Jason Wilcox as they gear up to strengthen the squad for next season.
Wilcox, who previously served as director of football at Southampton, took over from Darren Fletcher after joining United last month. His appointment is among the sweeping changes that have been made at United under new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with former Manchester City executive Omar Berrarda set to take up the CEO role in the summer and Dan Ashworth poised to join as sporting director after completing his gardening leave at Newcastle United.
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With United expected to bolster their squad following a disappointing season, Ten Hag said he is focused on working alongside Wilcox as he plots changing fortunes at Old Trafford.
“We talk every day from now, from last week. In a very short period we have to build an intense relationship, we are working now to a plan, we had a plan already before he stepped in and of course we have to get aligned. It takes time but we don’t have so much time,” he said in a news conference on Thursday.
United signed Mason Mount, André Onana, Rasmus Højlund and Sofyan Amrabat last summer but Ten Hag was left frustrated by the lack of additions to the squad in the January transfer window.
“We know also we are still below the levels from the expectations Manchester United has so we have to catch up and I’m now going into my fifth window, two windows quite okay, two we missed, we have to make new improvements to the squad. But there is a base of this squad that is very good.”
United’s next league game comes against Crystal Palace on May 6.
