Manchester United appoint Erik ten Hag as manager: Latest news

Bed news for Manchester United with Fred still unavailable for selection. Ralf Rangnick is hoping he can return for their clash against Chelsea.

Luke Shaw is at risk of missing the rest of the season after he underwent surgery on his leg.

Edinson Cavani is still ruled out injured.

Ralf Rangnick is preparing to take Harry Maguire out of the starting lineup for Manchester United’s trip to Arsenal on Saturday, The Athletic understands.

Maguire has struggled for form in recent weeks and is set to start on the bench for the crunch match at The Emirates.

United need to win in north London to keep their faint hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League alive. They trail both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League by three points, having played a game in hand.

For the full story from Laurie Whitwell, click here.

Andy Mitten, Laurie Whitwell and Ian Irving discuss Manchester United's managerial appointment on the latest episode of TotD.

Why not start your day right with the inside story of how Erik ten Hag became Manchester United manager?

"The Athletic has learned that Wayne Rooney was informally proposed as a possibility for the coaching staff.

"But Rooney has made it clear he would only leave Derby County for a No 1 position. He turned down the Everton job after Rafael Benitez’s dismissal when asked to interview."

Read more below.

"Ten Hag was very much at the forefront of United minds as early as January, having emerged top of the club’s data analysis of all candidates, when factoring in underlying metrics and transfer spend. A large dossier on managers was compiled but from that point on Ten Hag was more compelling than the others.

"It can be revealed that, during the course of the search, United also met directly with Mauricio Pochettino, the PSG and former Spurs manager whose representatives got as far as holding talks with an Old Trafford executive over a possible contract, and Julen Lopetegui, the former Spain and Real Madrid coach now with Sevilla."

Let Tifo Football's Joe Devine be your guide.

Edwin van der Sar: "Four and a half years is a good amount of time, but we would have liked to have kept Erik at Ajax for longer. He is going to make the step to one of the biggest clubs in the world, in a fantastic league."

"We owe Erik a lot of thanks for what he has achieved with Ajax so far, but we are not done yet. At the end of the season, I will look back more extensively on his departure. For now, what matters is the final games of the season in which we all want to bring home the league title."

Police have carried out a sweep of Harry Maguire's house after he was targeted with a bomb threat.

The threat was taken seriously by the player, who reported it to the Cheshire Constabulary. Police then conducted a sweep of his home on Thursday afternoon.

Maguire, the Manchester United captain, lives with his fiance Fern Hawkins and their two young children.

A spokesman for Harry Maguire said: “In the last 24 hours, Harry has received a serious threat to his family home.

“He has reported this to the police who are now looking into the matter. The safety of his family and those around him is obviously Harry’s number one priority.

“He will continue to prepare for this weekend’s fixture as normal and we will not be commenting in any further detail at this time.”

More here.

What will success be for Erik ten Hag next season? A league title? Top four? Avoiding relegation?

The Athletic argues that his success cannot be initially compared against Liverpool and Manchester City - two clubs on different trajectories to United.

Read more below.

John Murtough, Football Director, said: “During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.

“In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that.

“We wish Erik the best of luck as he focuses on achieving a successful end to the season at Ajax and look forward to welcoming him to Manchester United this summer.”

Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar shared some kind words on Erik ten Hag following his appointment as Manchester United's new manager from the summer.

Van Der Sar said: “Four and a half years is a good amount of time, but we would have liked to have kept Erik at Ajax for longer. He is going to make the step to one of the biggest clubs in the world, in a fantastic league.

“We owe Erik a lot of thanks for what he has achieved with Ajax so far, but we are not done yet. At the end of the season, I will look back more extensively on his departure. For now, what matters is the final games of the season in which we all want to bring home the league title.”

Erik ten Hag is focused on finishing his time with Ajax as positively as possible but is excited to join Manchester United in the summer. He said:

“It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead.

“I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.

“It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United.”

Michael Cox has comprised this great piece on what Manchester United fans should expect from Erik ten Hag.

Who doesn't want to see slick, fluid football that Ten Hag has achieved with Ajax at United?