Erik ten Hag has suggested that some players may struggle with the pressure of playing for Manchester United, although he maintains that signing for the club remains “the best challenge” for any footballer.
Ten Hag has approved Donny van de Beek’s loan transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt during the January window, while Jadon Sancho is poised to go back to Borussia Dortmund, also on loan.
Van de Beek, previously shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or, joined United for £35 million from Ajax in 2020, and Sancho, one of Europe’s most promising young talents, arrived in a £73 million deal from Dortmund in 2021.
Ten Hag emphasizes that it’s not always the club’s fault when high-profile signings don’t live up to expectations.
“That is always on those players and how much confidence you have in your capabilities but I can tell you one thing; the Premier League is tough,” said Ten Hag.
“Man United; that is tough to play there because it’s easier to play in almost any other team than Man United because the pressure is that high, always. You have to deal with that.
“But if you have confidence in yourself, this is the best challenge and this is definitely the best club you want to be at as a player. It depends from player to player, and it depends especially on the character of the player, their personality.”
Sancho’s dip in form since his transfer to Old Trafford two-and-a-half years ago has seen the 23-year-old — exiled at United for the four months following a public fall-out with Ten Hag –– lose his place in the England squad while Van de Beek was never able to win a regular place in midfield.
Van de Beek excelled under Ten Hag in a team that reached the Champions League semifinals in 2019 but the United manager said a series of injuries meant he was never able to reach the same level at Old Trafford.”.
He has had many injuries, first of all,” said Ten Hag.
“I worked with him for two years [at United] and before he was under different managers here. He had a loan before as well. Actually, from the first moment I came in here at Manchester United, he wasn’t the player he was at Ajax because he was injured.
“So many times he was not available and then he struggled for a long time to recover from that injury. That is probably the main reason why he was not playing.
“We decided on a loan in the summer but it didn’t come and then his opportunities are few because we also make appointments and agreements with players and contract players in that position. The competition was high.”