Exclusive to Sky Sports: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag discusses pre-season progress, giving Marcus Rashford, Fred, and Anthony Martial a fresh start, and the club's summer business thus far, including the lengthy deal to bring Frenkie de Jong to Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag says Manchester United's first three weeks of pre-season have been "so far, so good," but admits he would have preferred to have all signings in place by now as their pursuit of Frenkie De Jong continues.
On Monday, June 27, United returned to training before flying to Thailand 12 days later, where they defeated Liverpool 4-0 in Bangkok.
They then traveled to Australia for the second leg of their tour, where they defeated Melbourne Victory 4-1, with friendlies against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa coming up later this week.
Sky Sports' Melissa Reddy reported earlier on Monday that United players are feeling 'physically fitter and mentally sharper' since Ten Hag took over at Old Trafford, and the Dutchman admitted in an exclusive interview that he is impressed - but not yet satisfied - with what he has seen from the group.
"I see they respond well, and they give their all in every session, and that translates into the game," he sad.
"I'm not satisfied; I believe they should bring more, but it won't happen overnight. It is a process that takes time.
"The demand is that they become more fit than they are now. But, while we are constructing it, it is also the players' responsibility to be fit." They've responded admirably, but I know we're just getting started, and it takes time. We need the entire pre-season, at the very least, but I know we won't be ready at the start of the season, and I also know we'll need results right away."
Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, and Lisandro Martinez have joined the club so far this summer, representing an outlay of around £72 million, as Ten Hag has set about remoulding the squad after predecessor Ralf Rangnick oversaw a third sixth-place finish in six seasons last season.
The latter pair have only recently joined United, and the manager has outlined what the new recruits can bring. United wanted to bring in reinforcements in defense and midfield this summer, following the departures of Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, and Andreas Pereira.
"Eriksen is an experienced player, he's played in Holland, Italy, and especially England with Spurs, so a long career and a lot of caps for the Danish national team," he continued. I believe the entire Premier League is aware of what he is capable of doing and what he can bring to the team, which I would describe as creativity.
"Martinez is a unique personality. He's a warrior who brings aggression, but he's also a football player with a strong left foot. That is also what you need in the team's balance, players who can both create and defend.
"In terms of defense, we want to be proactive and defend with the utmost intensity. We are now three weeks into our journey, and we are also working on defending in order to be proactive."
However, the club's long-running pursuit of Frenkie de Jong remains at the forefront of its summer plans.
United and Barcelona have reached a broad agreement for a £72 million deal to bring the 25-year-old to Manchester, but with no conclusion in sight, Ten Hag admitted that he would have preferred the club's business to be wrapped up sooner.
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