Four out of the five players that Erik ten Hag banished from Manchester United’s first-team dressing room have now left the club.
Since arriving at Old Trafford in 2022, Ten Hag has been unafraid to make bold and often harsh decisions in an effort to shape the squad to his liking. He dropped Cristiano Ronaldo, isolated Jadon Sancho, and allowed David de Gea to fade into obscurity, all in the name of enhancing the team and its internal harmony.
However, it’s not just the high-profile players who have experienced the Dutchman’s ruthless approach. Shortly after taking the reins, he reportedly expelled five stars from the senior dressing room to make room for his new summer signings.
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Phil Jones, Brandon Williams, Axel Tuanzebe, Teden Mengi, and Shola Shoretire were allegedly instructed to train, eat, and change with the academy squad – a move that, unsurprisingly, nudged them towards the exit. Jones was the first to depart in May 2023 and chose to retire shortly thereafter at the age of 31.
Mengi, now 22, followed a few months later, signing with newly-promoted Luton Town. A week later, Tuanzebe, aged 26, also left, joining Ipswich Town.
This left only Williams, 23, and Shoretire, 20, from the original group of ousted first-teamers. However, last month, Williams also left following the end of his contract.
According to The Sun, Shoretire, 20, could follow suit, having grown discontented with his limited opportunities in the first team at United. He has a contract offer from the club on the table but isn’t expected to sign it, having spent last year on loan at Bolton.
Any aspirations he may have harboured about Ten Hag being replaced this summer were dashed with Thursday’s announcement that the ex-Ajax manager has inked a new deal with the club. The 54-year-old was predicted to either resign or be dismissed following a disappointing season where United suffered 19 losses across all competitions.
However, their victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup offered something of a silver lining for the state of play at the club. This represents the second trophy win in as many years for the Red Devils, a feat they haven’t accomplished since clinching the FA Cup in the 2015/16 season and subsequently the Europa League and League Cup in the 2016/17 season.
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