Erik ten Hag has accused Manchester United of breaking promises over his future and undermining his authority during his time at Old Trafford, while defending his decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo and revealing the major signings the club failed to secure.
The Dutchman, who managed United from 2022 until his dismissal in October 2024, lifted the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but struggled to deliver consistent results in the Premier League.
In an interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag reflected on his turbulent spell, pointing to disagreements over recruitment, concerns about the club’s dressing-room culture and frustration with decisions made by the hierarchy.
His comments also shed new light on his relationship with Ronaldo, whose departure in November 2022 became one of the defining moments of the former manager’s tenure.
Ten Hag Accuses Man Utd of Breaking Promises
Ten Hag expressed disappointment with United’s handling of his future after the club reviewed his position following the 2023–24 campaign.
Despite considering alternative managerial candidates, the club decided to retain the Dutchman and subsequently offered him a new contract. However, he was dismissed just three months later.
Ten Hag said he had requested an extension because he wanted assurances that the club would support him and work towards a shared vision.
“I wouldn’t go on with only one year left,” Ten Hag said. “So I said, ‘I need an extra year and we have to do it together.’ They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication, that we get aligned. We spoke about the issues. But the promises, they didn’t keep.”
One of his biggest frustrations concerned the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli in the summer of 2024.
The Scotland international had been an important source of goals from midfield, finishing the 2023–24 campaign with more goals for United than every player except Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund.
Ten Hag claimed he had agreed with the club that McTominay would remain at Old Trafford, believing his scoring ability and mentality were valuable to the team.
“In Ibiza, we agreed. I said, ‘No selling Scott McTominay.’ We would go aligned in the transfer window,” he explained.
“I make an argument, a reason: we don’t have scoring abilities. Scott brings scoring abilities and great mentality. He has United in all his veins. So when they bring up the subject, ‘No.’ And in the end they sold him. I got, of course, very embarrassed and disappointed.”
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Ten Hag Blames Man Utd for Toxic Dressing-Room CulturE
The former manager also criticised United’s handling of the dressing room, arguing that the club gave players too much influence and failed to establish the standards required to rebuild the team.
His comments echoed concerns previously raised by former interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who called for “open heart surgery” at United in 2022.
Ten Hag suggested that the club’s culture made it difficult to establish collective responsibility, with some players prioritising their individual interests over the team.
“They are continuing the toxic culture; they fuel it, they give the power to the players,” he said.
The Dutchman also questioned the influence of former Real Madrid stars Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Casemiro, suggesting that their experience at the Spanish club had contributed to a dressing-room dynamic that did not suit United’s rebuilding process.
“I can say I think that’s what the Madrid connection brought in, that players are powerful and they want to decide,” Ten Hag said. “In my opinion it didn’t suit the phase United was in.”
He argued that the club needed players willing to embrace an attacking, energetic style rather than individuals who wanted the team to accommodate their preferred approach.
Ten Hag also stressed that players had a responsibility to maintain professional standards, adding that football was not the highest priority for everyone at United.
Ronaldo Feud Remains a Defining Moment
Ten Hag’s dispute with Ronaldo was among the most controversial episodes of his time at Manchester United.
The Portuguese forward became frustrated by his reduced role under the Dutchman before giving an explosive interview to Piers Morgan in November 2022, criticising the club and its leadership.
The interview led to the termination of Ronaldo’s contract, bringing his second spell at Old Trafford to an abrupt end.
Ten Hag has now defended his handling of the situation, insisting that he made a decision based on what he believed was best for the team.
“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him,” Ten Hag said.
The former Ajax manager revealed that he had travelled to Portugal to discuss his plans with Ronaldo before taking charge, explaining that he initially wanted the forward to play an important role.
However, Ten Hag claimed that Ronaldo struggled to meet the physical demands of his system and was not contributing enough in or out of possession.
He also recalled confronting the striker over his training habits, including his response to a punishment following United’s 4-0 defeat against Brentford in August 2022.
“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” Ten Hag said.
He rejected the suggestion that he expected Ronaldo to press relentlessly despite his age, arguing instead that the forward needed to prepare himself properly to perform at the highest level.
The disagreement ultimately became irreparable, with Ronaldo leaving United before the end of 2022.
Ten Hag Reveals Regrets Over Missed Transfers
Recruitment was another major source of frustration for Ten Hag, who believes United missed opportunities to sign established players capable of accelerating the club’s rebuilding process.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong was among his leading targets when he arrived in 2022, but United failed to secure his signature despite Ten Hag’s attempts to persuade him to move to England.
“I did my best; I set up meetings with De Jong, where it was Richard [Arnold, chief executive] and John [Murtough, director of football] involved as well, to pursue him to come over,” he said.
“He could have been very important building the team, not only that year but for the future. But we didn’t make it.”
Ten Hag also identified Declan Rice and Harry Kane as players who could have made a significant difference to United.
Rice eventually joined Arsenal from West Ham United in 2023, while Kane moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich in the same transfer window.
Ten Hag believed both players possessed the experience, personality and quality needed to help younger teammates develop.
“The issue was that West Ham didn’t want to let Rice go,” he said, while admitting that he believed United could have done more to test the possibility of completing the transfer.
He also revealed that he had fought for Kane’s signature but was never directly involved in discussions with the England captain.
“We signed five, six players, young, high potentials. But they are not the finished product. They need guidance from good professionals, like Kane, Rice and Bruno [Fernandes],” Ten Hag explained.
His comments suggest that he felt United’s recruitment strategy did not provide the right balance between promising young players and established leaders.
Ten Hag Still Wants Man Utd to Succeed
Despite his criticism of the club’s leadership and the circumstances surrounding his dismissal, Ten Hag insisted that his affection for Manchester United remained strong.
The Dutchman said he enjoyed his time in Manchester and continued to feel connected to the club because of the supporters and the memories he created during his two-year spell.
“I enjoyed every minute in Manchester United; I have such wonderful memories,” he said. “It feels like I’m connected; I’m a fan. It’s an amazing fanbase; they were always respectful to me.”
Ten Hag also made clear that he wanted United to return to the top of English and European football, despite the difficulties he experienced during his tenure.
“I really want United to win. I want them to be successful again. I want the club to be back where it once was.”
His interview offers a detailed account of the disagreements and decisions that shaped his time at Old Trafford, from the handling of Ronaldo to the sale of McTominay and the failure to land key transfer targets.
While Ten Hag has moved on from the managerial position, his remarks place renewed attention on United’s recruitment strategy, dressing-room management and the relationship between the club’s hierarchy and its coaches.
