Erik ten Hag's Man Utd in-tray: Five problems that need immediate fix after new deal

Erik ten Hag has signed a new deal at Manchester United, which means he can finally get to work.

After overseeing arguably the club's worst-ever campaign in Premier League history last season, Ten Hag has plenty to do to get United out of the funk they've seemed so incapable of escaping over the past year or so. His side ended up eighth in the table, a whopping 31 points behind champions Manchester City, and lost 19 games in all competitions.

Last month's FA Cup final triumph, and the performance that went with it, provided a much-needed mood lift after nine months of doom and gloom, but it wasn't nearly enough to sweep their torrid season under the rug. As such, the next few months could be make or break for the Dutchman.

With that in mind, here are five things Ten Hag needs to sort out as soon as possible after extending his stay at Old Trafford to ensure next season is plane sailing.

Get Ratcliffe on side

First and foremost, Ten Hag needs to address the elephant in the room: Sir Jim Ratcliffe doesn't really want him. Almost as soon as the billionaire's minority stake in the club was confirmed at the start of the year, rumours started swirling that he was lining up replacements for the Dutchman.

The club then spent a couple of weeks after the season's end speaking to other managers, including former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, before ultimately deciding to stick rather than twist. Such overt flirtation with other coaches suggests the axe could fall on Ten Hag's neck as soon as United hit another rough patch, so the former Ajax boss must find a way to convince Ratcliffe he's worth sticking with, and fast.

Identify incomings/outgoings

There are plenty of holes to patch in United's squad, particularly at the back and in midfield. The club have been pushing for a new centre-back, with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Jarrad Branthwaite and Marc Guehi on their radar, and are strongly linked with a move for PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

Nabbing two or three high-quality players this summer could be the difference between a strong start to the season and a tepid one, so getting his ducks in order here should be a top priority for Ten Hag.

Similarly, getting the futures of the likes of Jadon Sancho, Casemiro and Harry Maguire sorted needs to be done ASAP, with all three rumoured to be on the chopping block. Sancho's issues with Ten Hag are well documented, and failure to either get rid of or patch things up with the Englishman could cause serious problems. Meanwhile, Casemiro and Maguire, both of whom are on huge wages, will need to be moved on if United sign new players in their positions

Boost morale

FA Cup win notwithstanding, the mood around Old Trafford is positively grim at the moment. Confidence has arguably never been lower, not only amongst the players but also amongst the supporters, and Ten Hag needs to address this problem sharpish.

It'll take a lot of work to banish the ghosts of last season, but a strong, positive pre-season, coupled with a few smart signings and sensible departures could inject a little life and belief back into the squad. If he can get the players firing on all cylinders, the fans, and more importantly, Ratcliffe, will be back on his side in no time.

Get Rashford ticking again

Marcus Rashford's form last season was concerning. The 26-year-old scored just eight goals in all competitions, with just two of them coming before Christmas.

The fact that he bagged 30 goals the season before goes to show how vital it'll be to get the best out of him, and how much United's season could hinge on which version of Rashford turns up at the start of the campaign next month. If Ten Hag can find a way to turn Rashford from a purple patch player into a ruthlessly consistent difference-maker then he'll be on easy street - and it'll take a little pressure off Rasmus Hojlund's shoulders too!

Solve the injury crisis

United suffered 60 different injuries last season, and losing key players like Varane, Hojlund, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen, Luke Shaw and Casemiro for long periods hamstrung them and stopped them from ever getting into any sort of rhythm.

Preventing the same thing from happening next season is an absolute must, and whether that means tweaking training methods, leaning more on the medical team, or being a tad more patient with recovery times - as, reportedly, wasn't the case last season - then Ten Hag really ought to do it.

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