Erik ten Hag wants Sir Jim Ratcliffe to solve three major problems that have crippled Man Utd for years

Erik ten Hag wants Sir Jim Ratcliffe to solve three major problems if he takes over at Manchester United.

Ratcliffe has emerged as the most likely candidate to take charge at Old Trafford after rival bidder Sheikh Jassim withdrew from the race last week.

The 70-year-old's proposed offer is thought to be for a 25% stake in the club, equating to around £1.3 billion, with Ratcliffe tipped to play a key role in the day-to-day running of United.

According to the Daily Mail, Ten Hag is already on board with the British businessman's plans for the future, while Ratcliffe is eager to retain the Dutchman as manager.

The report adds that Ten Hag has identified three problems he wants the new ownership to solve, which have crippled the club for years.

The 53-year-old has allegedly "shown signs of frustration at the club's recruitment" since taking charge, believing there is a "lack of clarity over targets and budgets."

It is also said that he has grown concerned with United's "habit of over-paying for players," having spent over £200 million on new recruits over the summer.

United's current owners, the Glazers, have thoroughly backed Ten Hag in the transfer market, but there remains issues in how they conduct their business, leading to confusion within United's recruitment team.

Only time will tell if Ratcliffe's arrival will help solve such issues at Old Trafford, but reports would suggest the pair have laid the groundwork for a promising working relationship.

The publication mentions that Ten Hag met Ratcliffe while he was being given a tour of Carrington training centre.

The United manager's apparent love for cycling could also prove useful, with Ratcliffe owning his very own team, the INEOS Grenaiders.

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Topics: Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Football, Premier League

Joe Adams

Joe is a Journalist for SPORTbible with a primary focus on football. He has previously covered a number of other sports including boxing, rugby and F1. Wishes he was born left-footed.

@joeadamsjourno