If Manchester United are going to be successful in getting back into the top four, manager Erik ten Hag has already made it abundantly clear that the club requires some assistance during the January transfer window.

The Dutchman was given the task of getting the Red Devils back on track as quickly as possible after inheriting a team that had just finished the club’s worst ever season in the Premier League. And there are encouraging indicators even at this early stage.

United has maintained their composure on the field despite the turmoil that has been occurring off of it, and as a result, they were in fifth place going into the break for the World Cup. However, the ambitious Ten Hag has informed those above him that their season may falter if additional investment is not made in the playing personnel.

In the previous month, he made the following statement: “In the front line, the availability of the players is a concern for us. In order to properly construct our offensive line, we were forced to participate in some additional games that required us to improvise.

“If you can’t do that, then it’s really difficult to get into the first four, especially if you don’t have the players to construct a proper offensive line,” he said. “If you don’t have the players to construct a proper offensive line.”

This request was made before Cristiano Ronaldo’s contentious departure, which is an event that has only served to exacerbate the team’s lack of depth in attacking areas. It is likely that United scouts have been keeping a close eye on the goings-on in Qatar as they travel the world in preparation for the January transfer window.

United has a large number of players who are still competing in the later stages of the tournament. These players include Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, who are doing well for their respective countries, Portugal and England.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag (Image: Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

According to the Manchester Evening News, if things had gone differently during the summer window, another World Cup star would have already been in Ten Hag’s squad. During a question and answer session, it was mentioned that United did not sign a current international player because he was “difficult and lazy.”

While the identity of the individual in question is being withheld for the time being, the MEN claims that the same player is now working ‘like a demon’ for his national team. If United decides to re-enter the market for him after the World Cup, they should expect to pay a significant premium; this is standard practice for any type of shopping that occurs around a major sporting event.

Ten Hag will be waiting for the go-ahead from the club’s board of directors to see if he will be given the necessary valuable funds. Following the Glazer family’s announcement that they were willing to end their stewardship of the club, there is uncertainty at Old Trafford regarding positions higher than the manager.

The Glazer family have not taken a divident payment from Man Utd (Image: PA)

The Americans have held their current positions at United since 2005, although they only announced a month ago that they will be leaving the club in the near future. Their tenure at United began in 2005. They are in the “process of exploring strategic alternatives for the club,” as the phrase puts it.

On Thursday, it was disclosed that the family would not be receiving a dividend payment; this is the first time in the previous six years that this has not taken place. Their first-quarter financial statements, which showed a 13.6 percent increase in overall sales, included the note as an accompanying piece of information.

It is believed that the decision to decline the payment was made in part as a result of the significant summer expenses, which resulted in Ten Hag having to be bankrolled to the tune of more than £200 million.