Ten Hag reports for United duties early

Erik ten Hag will miss Dutch champions Ajax’s post-season trip to Curacao to start working on Manchester United on Monday as he turns his attention to next season at Old Trafford.

The incoming Manchester United boss oversaw a 2-2 draw with Vitesse on Sunday in his final game in charge.

Ten Hag will take over from Ralf Rangnick at the end of the season but is keen to start his preparations.

“There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done,” said the 52-year-old.

“I think that’s understandable. This applies to every new club.

“A number of things still need to be organised with the staff and also with the squad. We will be working intensively on that from Monday.”

Ajax are travelling to Curacao as part of sponsorship commitments and will play a friendly with the national team.

Manchester United are at Crystal Palace on Sunday, 22 May for their final game of the season as they look to secure a top-six finish. Ten Hag may attend that match and then subsequently travel to Manchester.

Ten Hag, who had been Ajax boss since December 2017, has signed a three-year deal at the Old Trafford club, which can be extended by a year.

Ten Hag met United football director John Murtough in the Netherlands last week, having already spent plenty of time researching the United squad and determining where the weaknesses are that need addressing during the summer transfer window.

United have had a long-standing desire to bring in a central midfield player but the search for new recruits is likely to be expanded significantly given interim boss Ralf Rangnick has spoken of 10 additions potentially being needed given the number of players set to leave the club this summer, including Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani.

Ten Hag’s assistant Mitchell van der Gaag and former England boss and United assistant manager Steve McClaren, who worked with Ten Haag at FC Twente, were also understood to be present at the meeting. United are still to formally announce who will work with Ten Hag at Old Trafford.

It is understood the Dutchman has already decided to bring his non-international players back for pre-season training two weeks earlier than initially planned, meaning they should have built up their fitness ahead of a summer trip to Thailand – and his first match in charge against Champions League finalists Liverpool on 12 July – and Australia. -BBC