Manchester United boss Ten Hag on injuries, transfers and challenge of Brighton (Full Presser)
Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag updated on the fitness of key players ahead of their clash with Brighton and Hove Albion and also potential incoming transfers before the end of the transfer window
Carrington, Manchester, UK
Carrington, Manchester, UK
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00:00Hi, Eric. First place to start, the team for this weekend, anyone unavailable?
00:05And what's the situation with Victor Lindelof?
00:06There's a bit of confusion about his situation at the moment.
00:10There's no confusion. He has an issue on his toe, so hopefully he can return quickly.
00:17But he's not available for the weekend.
00:20Whereas also we have some, but I think we know them, Tyrone, Malaysia,
00:24Rasmus Holland, they are not available as well.
00:29There's obviously a lot of talk at the moment about transfers,
00:35with the deadline approaching. Manuel Lugate has been spoken about a lot.
00:39Are you hoping to do business before the window?
00:43Just be patient. Just sit, wait.
00:48We're working, of course, very hard and we will always try to make the best squad possible.
00:55And so we have a couple of days. The approach will always be improve.
01:02So as long as we have the opportunity, we will look for it.
01:05But in this moment, I can't tell any news.
01:10Have you been happy with the business so far?
01:12Yes, I'm very pleased.
01:16It is showing we're going in the right direction.
01:19We know as a club we have to catch up, but I think it shows our ambitions,
01:25our ambition, the way we want to go.
01:30So I think we have done good business, really very good players,
01:36quality players who will contribute to our squad, to our quality of the squad.
01:45You talked there about patience.
01:47I know the URT deal has been a deal that both the club and the player
01:51have had to be very patient about.
01:52Does it show the merits of that approach,
01:54assuming you do complete this signing in the next couple of days?
01:58Yes, I said. When we have news, we will bring it.
02:02But you know already the answer, so I don't understand the question.
02:07What about Jadon Sanchez?
02:09Obviously, he was not selected in the squad last week.
02:12Is he back and available for selection?
02:14Do you expect him to be involved in the squad this weekend?
02:17We will see. So we have a squad and I hope we will have a squad with double positioning
02:27when we go into the season after the 1st of September.
02:30And that means also that you can't select all the players for a game.
02:35But we need all the players throughout the season
02:38because this will be a season of the survival of the fittest.
02:41The survival of the fittest.
02:42And of course, we have to manage it.
02:44But also the attitude of the players is very important.
02:48And that sometimes they will be disappointed, but they have to deal with it
02:52because you don't win with 11 and you win as a squad.
02:57And so the prizes, they are divided next May.
03:03So till then, we need all the players in the squad
03:05and all the players highly motivated to contribute.
03:08That is also not an expectation, no, it's a demand from the club.
03:13And from me as a manager for the squad.
03:17The squad and the team is always more important than every individual.
03:22There was a lot of praise for Josh Sirksey making such an impact last week against Fulham.
03:26How excited are you by him as a prospect?
03:29And given the fact that he's got somebody like
03:31Rudy van Nistelrooy there to look up to and be a mentor to him as well,
03:35what are you hoping for from him?
03:38It's very pleasing that a player who's a striker,
03:44that he scores his first goal in his first game.
03:50Because that will give him the confidence, the surrounding confidence.
03:55So yeah, very pleased that it's happened.
03:58And I gave the comparison with last year with Rasmus Hoyland,
04:05when he scored in his first game against Brighton.
04:08And then the VAR looked for five minutes,
04:11and then they came to the conclusion,
04:13now the ball from Resford crossed the line in his assist.
04:18And then he had to wait three months for his first Premier League goal.
04:21So yeah, it helps absolutely.
04:23He scores his first goal, gives him confidence,
04:27and gives us confidence as a team.
04:30Very good process, so.
04:33Last two, Robin and then Micky.
04:35Eric, you've let Koundé Pellisteri leave the club.
04:39Just tell us your thought process behind that.
04:43He is a very talented player,
04:48progressed very good last season.
04:51But we have a lot of competition in the wide area.
04:55So yeah, we look at what do we need as a squad,
05:01but also every player needs a perspective.
05:04And in this moment, we had many players to compete in those positions,
05:11and then we couldn't give him the right perspective.
05:15In this club, I think he's a very good player, high potential.
05:20What he needs is games to improve, to progress.
05:26And he gets the opportunity at Panathinaikos,
05:30and we will follow the process.
05:33Eric, the transfer window is obviously still open.
05:35You talk about players maybe coming into Manchester United.
05:38Is the players going to be leaving?
05:40High-profile players might leave before the end of the window?
05:42I didn't say I'm looking for transfers coming in.
05:46I didn't say this.
05:47Also, I don't say that players going out.
05:50So I said patience, just for you guys, just wait.
05:55When we have news, we will bring it.