Erik ten Hag has challenged his Manchester United side to become the best transition side in world football in a bid to improve on their third-placed finish last season.
The Red Devils had a horrid record against fellow top 10 sides last season despite notable scalps against both Arsenal and Manchester City, but still managed to finish just behind the pair and qualify for the Champions League next season.
They also managed to take home silverware in the form of the Carabao Cup, though they lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City, who went on to win a historic treble only ever done by the Red Devils previously.
Quizzed on what was next for his side, the United boss admitted that his side needed to improve and really challenge back at the top consistently.
“You reflect on the season, what was the outcome,” Ten Hag said.
“We have the foundation, we have a base and on that base, we have to build up, so we have to raise the bar, because the season was OK, but still not matching the standards of Manchester United.
In particular, he was keen to be world leading in one regard.
“What do we want to be?” he asked. “We want to be the best transition team in the world.
“We want to surprise, we want to play dynamic, we want to play with speed, we want to play aggressive, out of a very good team spirit, because that is United.”
Reflecting on last season, Ten Hag noted that on their day, his side could beat anyone, but that they need to learn to bring their “A game”, week in, week out.
“Consistency is so important,” he said.
“We’ve proved we can do it against every opposition in the world. But now we have to do it every time, it’s a massive challenge for everyone.”
To that end, they have splashed the cash already this summer, landing Mason Mount and Andre Onana for a combined £100m, and are expected to continue spending with a forward next on their wishlist.
