Erik ten Hag claims Man United squad is weaker than other sides

There is still work to be done

It's no doubt the Red Devils are still far from where they want to be, however they are now making signings of intent this summer with Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro recently added to the ranks.

Speaking to a Dutch publication, Ten Hag made clear that they have less depth compared to their rivals and that injuries were to blame for the disappointing eighth-placed finish in the Premier League.

Despite previous speculation he could lose his job, Ten Hag extended his contract until 2026 sparking celebration within the fanbase.

A huge amount of games although was seen to be the cause of the injury crisis the Red Devils endured last season.

Playing 61 games in all competitions, he described it as "simply bizarre".

"That's really too much. We are not the only team that struggled with injuries, other clubs had the same," he stated to the Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad.

"Last season we had constantly injuries for players in the same positions, all at the back. At one point we had almost no defenders available.

"When we started here, United hadn't won a trophy for six years and it really wasn't because they didn't have good managers here. It does say something about the composition and quality of the player group. I knew that when I started, of course, but they were players with long-term contracts.

"We were and still are in that process (of building). If you compare our squad with other top clubs in the Premier League, we are certainly a bit less in terms of depth. That is exactly why we found it so difficult to deal with those injuries."

Ten Hag never worried about future

Ten Hag recently signed a new contract after a tumultuous period in which his future became unclear.

However following an end-of-season review, which took place days after their FA Cup win against Manchester City, Jim Ratcliffe and co decided to stick with the former Ajax boss.

Asked if he was ever worried about his long-term future at Old Trafford, he said: "If United's management find someone tomorrow who they think is better, then I'll go. It's that simple. Those are the mechanisms in football that you have to respect. At a club like this, it is crystal clear: if you don't win, you have a problem."