Man Utd staff ‘working in fear’

Manchester United’s recruitment staff are “working in fear” as the club steps up scrutiny over its transfer business, according to a report.

Man Utd spent more than €200 million on new signings during the summer, with Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee all arriving for more than €40m each.

None of these new players have hit the ground running, however, and as a result Erik ten Hag’s side have slumped to the lower half of the Premier League table, having lost three of their six games with a return of just two victories.

The Manchester Evening News reports that “staff are working in fear as they are under the impression that jobs could be on the line if they make a mistake over a signing.”

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Man Utd go Dutch

In particular, there has been a focus on Ten Hag’s propensity to sign players from the Netherlands.

Half of the 22 players the Man Utd manager has signed have either been Dutch or played in the Eredivisie.

It is something that sporting director Dan Ashworth has already addressed.

“It is natural in the human nature to work with somebody you’ve worked with previously,” Ashworth explained in September. “In all contexts, in all business contexts. I’m sure you guys have all done it as well.

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“That is a natural sway because you know that person, because you know that player, but also we’ve signed a number of players this summer that haven’t worked with Erik previously: Leny Yoro, Ugarte, he’d never worked with Zirkzee – and you can’t say just because he’s Dutch! He knows him. You would put the whole of the English market to me! He’s not worked with him before.

“He’s worked with Matthijs and Nous previously, as I’ve said before, they were both on our radar and it’s a joined-up decision on who comes in and out of this football club.”