Ten Hag begins work in Manchester today before Man Utd’s last Premier League tie

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Erik ten Hag is touching down in England today to begin work as new Manchester United boss ahead of the Red Devils' final Premier League match of the season against Crystal Palace.

The Dutchman won't be in charge on Sunday but is expected to be in the house at Selhurst Park as United look to secure Europa League football for next season.

Ten Hag terminated his Ajax contract six weeks early in order to get started at Old Trafford ahead of schedule, happily skipping the Eredivisie club's party trip to the Dutch-Caribbean island of Curacao to celebrate their title victory.

It's understood that Ten Hag plans to hold discussions with United personnel and begin acquainting himself with the club, though he won't meet with interim boss Ralf Rangnick – who will take up a consultancy role next season – until the campaign officially finishes.

He also doesn't intend to meet any of the players in person until next week either in order to let Rangnick see out the season undisturbed. Recent reports suggest the 52-year-old is preparing a long and arduous pre-season for the United squad amid concerns the players aren't fit enough to execute his high-pressing playing style.

After Ajax's final game of the season, Ten Hag said: "Tomorrow there will be a party with the [Ajax] staff, but I am not going to Curacao. I think that’s understandable. There is a lot of work to do [at United].

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"A number of things still need to be organised in terms of the staff and also in the squad. We will be working intensively on that from tomorrow."

Ten Hag was present for a planning meeting in Amsterdam last week which was attended by United director of football John Murtough, Ten Hag’s assistant at Ajax Mitchell Van der Gaag, who will follow him to Manchester, and Steve McClaren, who is expected to join the Dutchman's backroom staff.

Transfer targets were also discussed, and it's understood that Ten Hag reached out to Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong over a possible move, though the player is expected to stay put.

Nevertheless, United are expected to be busy in the transfer market this summer to allow Ten Hag to mould the team in his image, and with the futures of several key players – including Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford – still shrouded in mystery, it's just as well he's getting his eye in early.

• Erik ten Hag
• Manchester United FC
• Premier League
• Ajax FC

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