'Lack quality' - Ten Hag reveals one thing Man Utd need to win titles in brutal takedown of his squad

Erik ten Hag admitted Manchester United must sign ‘top class players’ in a brutal assessment of the club’s squad.

The Old Trafford club have had a resurgence in recent months and currently sit third in the Premier League, just two points behind rivals Manchester City.

Meanwhile later this month United have the chance to claim their first silverware since 2017 when they take on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.

However, the club’s form has stuttered in the past few weeks as Christian Eriksen suffered a serious injury and talismanic midfielder Casemiro was suspended.

Indeed, a 2-2 draw with managerless Leeds United at Old Trafford on Wednesday confirmed Ten Hag’s suspicion that his squad isn’t strong enough to compete for the biggest trophies.

Ten Hag’s claims Man Utd need ‘top class players

Despite having spent some £229million on players last summer, Ten Hag insisted that his club lacked the “quality” to compete at the very top.

In a press conference the Dutchman said: “If we want to restore Manchester United, we need top players but also double in each position because we want to act in so many competitions.

“You saw it in the last game [against Leeds], how we have in certain positions a lack of quality. That can’t be if you want to compete for the highest.

“I’m here to manage the team, get the best out of them, and of course, I have a job in bringing the right players in.”

Ten Hag added that he is insistent on the transfer strategy irrespective of who the club’s owners might be in the summer. Current owners the Glazers put the club up for sale in November and a potential £5billion takeover could be on the horizon.

The United boss continued: “There is a lot of communication about that with the board and management of the club but I am here to achieve the sporting aims and goals, not the finance.

“I am calm about the situation (of prospective takeover). I am planning. I always go for the highest, so we go for the best, the best we can get, but also we have plan B.

“What you see in the Premier League is other clubs investing but also having quality in managers, players and getting good players in. The competition is really tough. For a long time, it was a two-horse race but now I think it is a six, seven, and eight-horse race.

“I still can refer to my first press conference here: I said ‘Things can change.’”

Topics: Football, Transfers, Erik Ten Hag, Manchester United, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.