Ten Hag Expresses Confidence in Ineos Partnership as New Co-Owners Join Manchester United

Manchester United's manager, Erik ten Hag, expresses confidence in establishing a positive relationship with the club's new co-owners, Ineos. The recent acquisition of a 25% stake in the club by Ineos, led by company chairman and chief executive Sir Jim Ratcliffe, was officially announced on Christmas Eve.

Ten Hag, while acknowledging that he has not yet engaged in direct conversations with key Ineos figures, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe and proposed club director Sir Dave Brailsford, remains optimistic about the collaboration. The Manchester United boss is eager to work within this new structure, emphasizing a mutual desire for a productive partnership.

"We are really looking forward to working together," said Ten Hag. "Ineos wants to work with me, in this structure, and I want to work with them."

While Sir Dave Brailsford attended the Old Trafford match on Tuesday to witness United's impressive 3-2 comeback victory against Aston Villa, neither he nor Sir Jim Ratcliffe has had a meeting with Ten Hag since the announcement of the deal. Ten Hag explains that the busy Christmas schedule left him with no spare time for discussions, but he anticipates connecting with the new owners in the coming days and weeks.

"The schedule is so condensed, so I said no, in this moment, I don't want to have distractions, but in the coming days and weeks, there will be time, and then I'll know more," he clarified. "But I think it's a good thing. It's very positive."

With the winter break approaching, United has only one scheduled Premier League match and FA Cup commitments in January, providing ample opportunity for Ten Hag to meet with those who will be overseeing the club on a day-to-day basis once the Premier League approves the initial purchase, expected in six to eight weeks.

Reflecting on the recent presence of Sir Dave Brailsford at Old Trafford during the thrilling comeback against Villa, Ten Hag downplayed the impact of the new figures, stating, "We always want to win. We are appointed here to win, so in this area, we need a winning culture no matter who is in the lead and no matter who is the owner. But of course, the owners can inspire you."