Erik ten Hag admits Man United's team 'is not where we want to be'
Erik ten Hag admits Man United’s team ‘is not where we want to be’ as he tries to focus on squad after club decided not to re-integrate Mason Greenwood – and admits Rasmus Hojlund is still not ready
- Mason Greenwood and United mutually agreed the striker will leave the club
- It followed a lengthy internal investigation into the player’s conduct
- Erik ten Hag insisted his only focus is on improving United’s performances
Erik ten Hag maintained that his full focus is on improving performances after a week in which Manchester United came under the microscope for their handling of Mason Greenwood.
United announced on Monday that Greenwood would be leaving the club following a five-month internal investigation surrounding allegations of sex offences.
Senior executives concluded that the 21-year-old had not ‘committed the offences’ for which he was initially charged before the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case of attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour earlier this year.
They had appeared ready to reintegrate Greenwood into Ten Hag’s squad before deciding to sell the forward, with interest from abroad.
‘Look, we are not where we want to be with our team,’ Ten Hag said, with United facing Nottingham Forest on Saturday following defeat at Tottenham.
Mason Greenwood won’t play for Manchester United again after the club concluded its internal investigation into the striker
United manager Erik ten Hag insisted his full focus is on improving performances despite the background noise of the Greenwood affair
Rasmus Hojlund is still not ready to make his United debut as he struggles with a back issue
‘There is a lot of work, my focus is on the players who are available. I only have statements about our performances, our squad and where we have to improve. It’s clear: we have to improve.
‘What United fans expect is us to win. I’m responsible for that. That’s where all my effort is going.’
United have been dealt blows by injuries to Mason Mount and Luke Shaw, with the left back’s issue worse and an expectation that he faces a sustained period on the sidelines.
Ten Hag also ruled summer signing Rasmus Hojlund out of the Forest fixture.
‘Not for tomorrow,’ Ten Hag said of Hojlund. ‘Today for the first time he came into team training so next week I expect him to do a full week. He’s very near to making the squad.
‘Luke will be longer than Mason. It’ll also take a few weeks before Tyrell will be back. Definitely we have the solutions in our squad to cope with that. You hope to avoid this scenario but if it happens you have to be ready for it.’
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