Erik ten Hag pulled no punches in his interview with Manchester United as he delivered a damning verdict on what needs to change at Old Trafford.
The current Ajax boss is close to moving to the Premier League with the Red Devils discussing his exit and compensation package with the Dutch side.
United have been looking for a permanent boss since sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Ralf Rangnick's interim spell coming to an end this summer.
Ten Hag emerged as an early frontrunner and spoke his mind in discussions with the club. The 52-year-old listed where he felt United were falling short in a discussion with Technical director Darren Fletcher and football director John Murtough, who flew to Amsterdam.
The Ajax boss cited issues around the scouting and their recruitment strategy.
One source at Old Trafford told The Sun : “It was like United were being interviewed by Ten Hag rather than the other way round.” After initially being taken aback by Ten Hag's approach both United chiefs, after sitting on it for a few days, were impressed by the Dutchman's frankness and vision.
Red Devils chief executive Richard Arnold has since flown to Amsterdam for a one-to-one meeting as he seeks to finalise the appointment. Ten Hag is not seeking overall control at Old Trafford, but has made it clear things to need to change off the pitch if the club are to be a success once more.
The Ajax boss appears to have edged out Mauricio Pochettino, who was another favourite for the role. The Argentine didn't sit down with United chiefs face-to-face, instead conducting his discussion over Zoom. The former Tottenham boss was previously on the club's radar when they sacked Jose Mourinho in 2018.
Is Ten Hag the right man for Man Utd? Let us know in the comments
However he has struggled since taking over in Paris. PSG are also holding out for a major compensation fee if they are to let Pochettino leave the Parc des Princes, even if his future is already in major doubt following a Champions League failure.
United could be preparing for life with Ten Hag without the added bonus of Champions League football. They face a battle to make the top four which could hamper them financially in the transfer market. However there is a belief that the Ajax boss will be able to maximise the current squad's potential.
An overhaul has been speculated with Ten Hag reportedly green lighting the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has not even been back in Manchester for a year. The 37-year-old, whilst scoring regularly, has copped criticism for altering the team's style of play.
