Erik ten Hag wants new striker but Man Utd's summer of doubt is stalling rebuild

Erik ten Hag has put on a brave face in recent weeks, even with the walls have appeared to be closing in on the Manchester United manager, and there was no deviation from that on Friday.

United may still be waiting for an entirely new football hierarchy to start work and have no clarity on what the summer transfer budget will be, let alone whether the current manager will remain in the post, but the man himself struck a familiarly upbeat tone.

“We are working in the background on plans with the scouting,” Ten Hag said. “The plan is ready but we have to execute. I trust the new ownership will work as quickly as possible and bring new good structures and they can execute.”

The blunter reality is that whatever plans have been drafted may have to be hastily redrawn depending on what materialises over the coming weeks and months.

Sure, Omar Berrada may be offering some direction while on gardening leave before formally taking over as chief executive in June and United hope an agreement can be struck with Southampton that will enable Jason Wilcox to start as technical director in the coming weeks.

Perhaps United will also have gleaned some ideas from Dan Ashworth while they negotiate a compensation package with Newcastle for the sporting director, a process Sir Jim Ratcliffe sought to accelerate by holding face to face talks with Amanda Staveley, the Tyneside club’s co-owner.