Erik ten Hag held a meeting with Manchester United football director John Murtough and his prospective new coaching team on Thursday in Amsterdam, as he prepares to take over as manager of the Old Trafford club.
Ten Hag sealed the Dutch Eredivisie title with current club Ajax on Wednesday night, but has wasted little time since on kicking off the planning for his next role. United have endured a dire Premier League campaign this season and are set to embark on a squad rebuild this summer under the Dutchman's leadership.
90min understands Ten Hag himself organised the meeting, which was attended by Murtough and other United officials, as well as Mitchell van der Gaag and former United assistant manager Steve McClaren - who is set to return to the club per Ten Hag's request.
Ten Hag has pushed hard to confirm his preferred coaching circle, and it's understood that Murtough has given his personal guarantee to Ten Hag that McClaren can return to the club - despite negative feedback circling within United about that happening in recent weeks. There may also be room for Ten Hag to add one of his preferred scouts to the backroom staff.
Ajax's season finishes this weekend, with Ten Hag set to assume his role at United with more focus following the fixture at Vitesse Arnhem.
Ten Hag is set to hold talks with every member of the United squad within the next few weeks. He is set to have full approval on which of the contracted players stay and go if buyers can be found, though United do have six players around the first team squad who are out of contract on June 30.
McClaren himself is keen for the club to keep Marcus Rashford, who has struggled for form over the last few seasons and has spent time more recently out of the first team picture, though Ten Hag will again have the final say on whether he stays or is put up for sale.
A number of players were also discussed in the meeting, while positions to strengthen have also been identified.
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A versatile forward, two central midfielders and a centr-back are primary targets. 90min has reported in recent weeks and months of their interest in Benfica's Darwin Nunez, centre-half Pau Torres, as well as central midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Konrad Laimer this week. All players are however attracting interest from other clubs who can offer Champions League football.
In an ideal scenario the club would also sign a full back this summer, though Murtough has used the meeting to explain that player sales will be crucial to United having a successful transfer window. The likes of Phil Jones and Eric Bailly are expected to be offloaded to raise funds to reinvest and clear up perceived dead wood.
Source : 90min