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Football London
Football London
Sport
Chris Davison

Three things that will 'definitely' happen at Arsenal if Erik ten Hag becomes Man United manager

Witnessing the downfall of Manchester United over the last few seasons has been enjoyable, to say the least. Five years without a trophy, inconsistencies on and off the pitch and a disgruntled fanbase has again left the club searching for a new permanent manager.

Ralf Rangnick was appointed interim manager in November last year and is set to stay until the end of the season before continuing in a consultancy role for a further two years.

A host of names have been linked with the full-time job including current PSG and former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino. However, the Manchester Evening News is today reporting that Ajax's Erik ten Hag has been interviewed.

READ MORE: Three things that will 'definitely' happen to Arsenal if Mauricio Pochettino joins Man United

READ MORE: Paul Pogba gives Mikel Arteta's ideal Arsenal £35m Premier League midfield signing a new twist

Becoming one of the most highly rated and respected coaches in the game, should United's potential appointment be a concern to Arsenal fans? Here are three things that may happen later down the line.

Ajax talent will head to Old Trafford

If ten Hag becomes the new Manchester United manager, then I would be shocked if he doesn't turn to his former side once the summer transfer window opens, subsequently making it more difficult for Arsenal to attract players from that club in particular.

Ajax are on track to secure another Eredivisie title this season and a number of talented players are playing a key part in the team's success.

Brazilian winger Antony is catching the eye of many top European clubs, as are Noussair Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch, although they are both reportedly in talks over a move elsewhere with Barcelona and Bayern Munich showing interest.

Regardless of who ten Hag targets, however, the Ajax squad is full of exciting stars that can easily strengthen the Red Devils for both the short and long-term.

Ex-Arsenal stars can provide inside information

Former Arsenal duo Marc Overmars and Dennis Bergkamp haven't only worked at Ajax, but they will also know a lot about their fellow countryman.

Overmars spent nearly ten years as the club's director of football before leaving last month. For the last five years, he worked closely with ten Hag on a number of footballing matters, including transfers and first-team operations.

Meanwhile, Bergkamp undertook a coaching role at Ajax in 2011 and became first-team assistant coach alongside Frank De Boer. In 2017, the non-flying Dutchman was dismissed after a coaching reshuffle was made by Overmars and general manager Edwin van der Sar following a run of poor results.

Despite no longer being at the club, the pair will carry insightful knowledge on ten Hag which current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta can make use of for when his side comes up against United.

United will face Arsenal-esque rebuild

A new manager may be appointed, but that doesn't mean improvements will take place overnight in Manchester. Reports have suggested some players have become unhappy and want to leave, while Rangnick moves upstairs to take on new responsibilities.

In addition, ten Hag will need time to develop his footballing philosophy and vision for the club before eventually drilling it into the group.

Arteta took over at Arsenal in 2019 and although minor improvements were taking place, his transformation is only now being fully recognised.

It follows a major squad overhaul across several transfer windows, staff restructures, culture changes and significant perseverance.

The Gunners will need to be wary about the quality that one of its fiercest rivals may possess in the future, but for now, a lot must still change for Manchester United to become a major threat in the Premier League once again.

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