Erik ten Hag responds to Man Utd's pursuit of Dan Ashworth

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has welcomed the ambition of new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team, which is set to see Dan Ashworth appointed as sporting director .

The influence of Ratcliffe’s has already been felt with the appointment of Omar Berrada as incoming chief executive, formerly in charge of football operations at the rival City Football Group. Ashworth is known to be specifically admired by Sir Dave Brailsford, Ratcliffe’s most trusted sporting advisor.

It will mean someone else coming into the Old Trafford hierarchy, but Ten Hag is happy for the help and to see that his new bosses in charge of the football department are aiming high.

«I am working, I am happy now, in this construction,» the Dutchman said at a press conference on Thursday. «When things change, they will tell me but in a club [like] Manchester United you can't do everything alone, it is impossible, you need very good people around you.

»I am happy but a club like Manchester United also have to look for better, never be satisfied," he added. «Good is not good enough, always looking for better and always try to every day to do better than the day before. I think it is very important you are on one page about football philosophy, about football tactics, about the profiles of the players you need in the team so it is very important to have very good communication so you get the right players.»

Ten Hag also commented on the fresh energy and boost to morale that ratification of the investment has given to people already at the club.

«You see and feel that ambition and it brings a mood and a spirit in this club, a mood and a spirit that belongs to this club. The players, the staff are very aligned with the ambitions of Ineos,” he