Erik ten Hag is ready to throw Manchester United’s newest signings in at the deep end with both Matthjis de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui in line to make their debuts on Friday against Fulham.
Earlier this week United confirmed the £60million double signing of Bayern Munich duo De Ligt and Mazraoui.
While they have only had a handful of training sessions with their new team-mates, Ten Hag has no concerns about using them in the Premier League’s opener at Old Trafford.
‘Issues are there,’ Ten Hag explained. ‘But it’s not about the players who are not available. Same as last season it’s about the players who are available.
‘We have a good group, we can make a strong selection and we can put out a strong team and we will do. They will be in the squad and Harry Maguire will be in the squad as well.’
Martthijs de Ligt (middle left) and Noussair Mazraoui (middle right) both arrived from Bayern Munich this week
Luke Shaw will play no part against Fulham due to injury, but Ten Hag allayed fears of another lengthy lay-off by revealing the England left back is out for the ‘short term’ and it ‘won’t take long’.
United take on Fulham at Old Trafford in the curtain-raising fixture of the 2024-25 season and while Ten Hag admits this summer has been far from ideal preparation with new signings arriving and many players involved in Euro 2024 and Copa America, he has called on his players not to ‘hide’ from the challenge ahead.
‘It’s not the pre-season where in 5-6 weeks work on a team [you are done], it’s very complicated,’ he explained.
‘[We had] the USA tour squad and then we added the players at Euros and Copa America and now new signings and we have to make a team from it.
‘That team is not ready but the league starts and more managers will have this problem.
‘Still, we have some room, have some principles and we have to make a start. We can’t hide, we have to deal with it.’