Erik ten Hag doubles down on Manchester United transfer strategy view amid Dan Ashworth talks

Erik ten Hag will seek to retain control of recruitment at Manchester United amid planned changes to the club's structure.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Ineos Group have head-hunted Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth, who has been placed on gardening leave, and are keen to add Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox. Ashworth has an impressive hit rate in the transfer market from his time at Brighton, as well as Newcastle, yet United manager Ten Hag has dictated the club's transfer strategy in the last two years.

Half of Ten Hag's 16 signings have played in the Eredivisie and four of them played under the Dutchman in the Netherlands. Although Lisandro Martinez and Rasmus Hojlund have impressed, Ten Hag's track record in recruitment is unimpressive and the former United chief executive Richard Arnold admitted they had "burned through cash" under his predecessor Ed Woodward.

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Ratcliffe admitted in midweek recruitment is "critical" and declined to assess Ten Hag's signings, having described the £52m addition of Fred in 2018 as "dumb money".

After he accepted the United job Ten Hag said "control in transfers is a condition for me". When asked if he was still of that mindset, he replied; "Yes, I am sure. It’s control. And I have had the talks with them about it.

"They will not bring in players who the manager doesn’t want, because that will not work. We will work there together, with suggestions, bringing players in and discussing.

"Then it is about picking the right players, it is about cooperation and togetherness. That is the way they want to work."

Ratcliffe revealed the