Erik ten Hag believes the Manchester United project is going in the positive direction but wants it to get better

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag feels the project he has undertaken is going in the right direction but wants it to get better in the coming months and years.

After finishing outside the top four while playing some of the worst football in the league last season, things have turned around for United in ten Hag’s first season in charge of the team.

Not only they have broken the trophy duck of six years by winning the Carabao Cup, an FA Cup Final is awaiting next weekend and Champions League football next season is just a league point away.

Here’s what ten Hag when asked if his project is ahead of schedule (h/t Manchester Evening News):

“First, we have to win the game tomorrow and get the job done. Then it’s about judgement from others if it’s a good, bad or normal performance. We are in a project, we want to go back and win trophies, we win one trophy but we want more trophies, compete with the best, we are still in a journey but we think we are in the right direction but it can always be better. Because good is not good enough.”

What the Dutchman said is absolutely right. The team’s focus should be to beat Chelsea and secure the Champions League first before discussing the direction this project is taking.

Once that is done, there is a mammoth FA Cup Final against Manchester City coming up next Saturday at Wembley. If United win that match, they will not only win a domestic double but also stop City from claiming a potential treble.

But, irrespective of what happens in that game, securing the fourth spot in the league and winning a trophy should be classed as a good season for the Red Devils after where they were 12 months ago. All the credit goes to ten Hag for the turnaround.

Once the dust settles on this season, the focus should turn towards making the right signings that can propel this squad towards challenging for a league title, something United have not done since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.

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Erik ten Hag has reiterated that the club needs to sign a striker. Harry Kane and Rasmus Hojlund are linked, while the Victor Osimhen links remain hopeful. Get a top-class number nine and the team elevates itself to a new height next season.