Erik ten Hag STILL controls Manchester United transfers: Fabrizio Romano

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, December 2023
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Suggestions that Erik ten Hag will have less say in Manchester United's transfer business after INEOS' investment are not true, says Fabrizio Romano.

INEOS CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a lifelong Man United fan, is set to take control of the club's footballing operations after buying a 25% share at Old Trafford – where the Glazer family remain the majority owners.

And there had been talk that Ten Hag would end up with a reduced role on the player recruitment front.

British INEOS Group chairman Jim Ratcliffe looks on ahead of the UEFA Europa Conference League second-leg quarter final football match between Nice (OGCN) and FC Basel at the Allianz Riviera in Nice, on April 20, 2023.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the second-richest person in the UK, with an estimated fortune of almost £30bn (Image credit: Getty Images)

But Romano doesn't see anything changing there, explaining in his Daily Briefing that United's manager would have more support to make decisions – rather than being forced to delegate some of his power. He said:

"I'm not aware of the rumours that Ten Hag is no longer in control of transfers at Manchester United. It's just the club preparing for big changes: new CEO; new director of football.

"Ten Hag will have new people around him deciding together with him. This is the point, but it's part of many changes happening at Manchester United, as is normal when there are new owners."

Manchester United's Dutch manager Erik ten Hag gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 14, 2024. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)

Romano expects that Ten Hag will continue to call the shots (Image credit: Getty Images)

United have not done any business in the January transfer window, which closes on Thursday February 1 at 11pm.

And most of the signings they made last summer have underwhelmed to one degree or another: the goals have not flowed for Rasmus Hojlund, while Andre Onana's early Red Devils career has been littered with mistakes and Mason Mount has flattered to deceive.

As such, Ten Hag has attracted further criticism surrounding his acquisitions – which include £82m flop Antony.

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Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...