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Incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has labeled the lack of Champions League football as "painful." The current Ajax manager is set to replace Ralf Rangnick as the new permanent manager at Old Trafford.
Despite not being able to compete in the tournament in his first season in England, ten Hag will still be following Ajax's results very closely in the Champions League. The Dutch tactician was quoted as saying the following (via Sport Nieuws):
"That is painful. That is the most beautiful competition, but the Premier League makes up for a lot. I will now watch Ajax on the evenings of the Champions League, as a big supporter."
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According to the Guardian, Erik ten Hag will arrive in Manchester on Monday, 16 May as he prepares to take charge of the club. Despite his arrival, Ralf Rangnick will still be in charge of the first-team on the final day of the season when they take on Crystal Palace on 22 May.
Manchester United have not enjoyed their best season this time around. The Red Devils were officially out of the top-four race after suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this month.
As things stand, the Red Devils are sixth in the standings, having amassed 58 points from 37 matches.
Manchester United need a win over Crystal Palace to secure Europa League qualification
At the moment, the Red Devils are not even guaranteed a place in next season's UEFA Europa League. West Ham United are presently seventh in the table, just two points behind Manchester United with one game remaining.
If West Ham win their final game against Brighton, they can overtake Manchester United in the standings, provided they draw or lose to Crystal Palace. The Hammers have a much better goal difference (11) compared to Ralf Rangnick's side (1).
Erik ten Hag is expected to have a massive rebuilding job ahead of the 2022-23 season. There will be a large-scale exit from the club with the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Nemanja Matic set to quit at the end of the season.
Manchester United will be heavily involved in the transfer market as they look to fill the gap. United, however, could find it difficult to attract a higher caliber of players as they do not have Champions League football at their disposal.
