Man United unveil eye-catching 2024/25 target that would stun fans – report

Manchester United fans dreaming of immediate Champions League qualification may need to adjust their expectations ahead of the 2024/25 season.

According to a report in The Guardian, finishing in the top four is not the main objective for manager Erik ten Hag, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe focusing on long-term, sustainable excellence at Old Trafford.

While Ten Hag has ambitions to help United climb higher in the table, he and Ratcliffe’s football department, led by sporting director Dan Ashworth, admit the ongoing rebuild requires a considered approach.

The priority is to create a solid foundation on which to build, not immediate results.

This change in focus gives Ten Hag some breathing space. His job, in partnership with Ashworth, is to engineer significant improvements on and off the pitch.

Following United’s dismal eighth-place finish last season, their worst ever in the Premier League, they embarked on a fundamental change of strategy.

The signings of Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee underline the club’s ambitious goals, but Ten Hag and Ashworth are still keen to strengthen the squad.

Manchester United are looking to sign a defensive midfielder and have Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte in their sights.

Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat, who spent last season at Old Trafford, is also in their sights, while they have also added Bayern Munich right-back Noussair Mazraoui to their shortlist.

Off the pitch, Ratcliffe has given the green light to a £50m redevelopment project at United’s Carrington training complex, which could take the whole of the coming season to complete.

The project aims to improve the training facilities for United’s men’s and women’s teams but the initiative has caused a momentary stir.

While the club modernises its facilities, the women’s team is being forced to use portable facilities, raising concerns about the short-term impact on the environment in which the team plays.

More than 60 players were sidelined last season due to serious health issues, with the injury crisis also being a major area of ​​concern.

Ten Hag has put the well-being of his players first and has introduced an improved pre-season training schedule to give the squad more time to rest and recover.