Erik ten Hag sets sights on January transfer window as Manchester United schedule opens up

Erik Ten Hag says it will be full steam ahead for the January transfer window during the upcoming gap in Manchester United’s schedule.

United have a lull in their schedule with this weekend’s Premier League clash against Leeds postponed. After that the international fixtures kick in, so United do not have a game until their derby trip to Manchester City on October 2.

The longer-than-expected break has come at a bad time for Ten Hag. United signed off for the period with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Sheriff Tiraspol in their Europa League group in Moldova on Thursday. While in the league, United had won four successive games prior to the postponement of last week’s fixture at Crystal Palace following the death of the Queen.

The Dutch boss though will not be putting his feet up, far from it. Instead he will be scouring the market for new signings, with reports claiming he will be backed heavily by the club again.

“Always you use breaks,” said Ten Hag.

Playing structure looked at

“We have many meetings, we have to improve the structures in and around the club. We will do.

“And we will also look to the window in January or next summer already and also to improve our way of playing by making plans.”

The City game will be the first of 13 fixtures in the space of 43 days for United before top-level domestic football closes down for the World Cup.

Ten Hag added on MUTV: “Of course, it’s coming, a period with a game every third day and we have to get ready for that.

“The players, 90 per cent are away, but the others we will train properly. We have to prepare very well.

“Then I hope that everyone stays fit, returns back healthy and then we have to get in to attack.”

Ten Hag: ‘Ronaldo needed that goal’

Ten Hag was also asked about Cristiano Ronaldo’s first goal of the season, which came via a 39th-minute penalty against Sheriff on Thursday night.

The Dutchman said in his post-match press conference: “We could expect this when you miss pre-season so he has to work really hard and invest to get the right fitness then he will score more goals.

“You can see he is really close when he gets fitter he will finish them. I think (he is) totally committed to this project and totally committed to this team, totally involved.

“You see also connections coming around him and he is constructing connections so I am happy with that.”

He added on MUTV: “He needed that goal. He was close many times. You (could) see he wanted that so much (but) every time a foot was in between or it got a deflection or a misunderstanding.

“We’re happy for him and the team wanted him to bring the goal, so that’s good.”

READ MORE: Manchester United transfer news LIVE: Cristiano Ronaldo Man Utd future plus Marcus Rashford and Antony latest