MANCHESTER, England — Erik ten Hag has warned his players that Manchester United’s improved squad means they are not guaranteed to be selected for every game.
United have spent more than £130 million ($170m) to bring in Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui over the summer.
There remains a possibility that Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte could also arrive before the transfer deadline.
Jadon Sancho missed out on a place in the squad for the 1-0 win over Fulham because of an ear infection suffered in the buildup to the game. And Ten Hag says that with more options at his disposal, there is a chance that high-profile players will have to sit on the sidelines.
“We have a squad and I hope we will have a squad with double positioning and when we go into the season, that means also you can’t select all the players for a game, but you need them all throughout the season because this season will be the survival of the fittest,” Ten Hag told a news conference on Thursday.
“We have to manage it, but also the attitude of the players is very important, sometimes they will be disappointed, but they have to deal with it.
“You don’t win with 11. You win with a squad. The prizes are decided next May and until then we need all the players in the squad and highly motivated to contribute.
“That is not an expectation, that is a demand from the club and from me as manager to the squad. The team is always more important than any one individual.”
United have completed the bulk of their summer business, although negotiations continue around the signing of Ugarte.
Ten Hag refused to be drawn on the specifics of the deal, but revealed that the club are still working on further strengthening his squad.
“We will always try to make the best squad possible,” the Dutchman said. “We have a couple of days and as long as we have the opportunity we will look for it.
“We know as a club we have to catch up but it shows our ambition, the way we want to go. We have done good business, very good players, quality players who will add and contribute to our squad.”