That Manchester United are coming back under Erik ten Hag is slowly becoming a reality with each passing game. The Dutchman has presided over an incredible cultural reboot at Old Trafford that’s becoming more and more evident. The results of Ten Hag’s magnificent work are translating onto the pitch. Players under the tutelage of the United boss are improving and earning their status as United stars. The team is performing as a more cohesive unit, capable of challenging for top honours against the very best, not only domestically, but also in Europe. It’s a testament to the progress made under Ten Hag that the Red Devils are the only team in Europe still battling on all four fronts.

One need only look at United’s valiant comeback against Barcelona on Thursday night at the Theatre of Dreams to see that a return to the glory days is not just a pipe dream, as it felt under previous regimes when Ten Hag’s predecessors were at the helm. Past United teams after the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson would have capitulated after falling behind and just waved the white flag in surrender at their far more superior foe. Not Ten Hag’s Reds though. His players battled as if their lives depended on it, the result of which was a historic comeback against la Liga’s best and the promise of a spot in the next round of the Europa League. The United boss will also be presented with a golden opportunity to add yet another feather to his cap when his side faces Newcastle on Sunday at Wembley for the Carabao Cup final.

Ten Hag’s rebuilding efforts and the fruits they are yielding have the potential to extrapolate to the transfer market. The 53-year-old coach is gearing up for another busy summer spending spree, when he’ll look to bolster his squad with quality additions that will take United to the next level. On current form and position, Ten Hag is well and truly restoring the glitz, glamour, razzle-dazzle and finesse that United used to boast with regard to its status in the market. During their heyday, the 20-time English champions had the pick of all the best and finest talents across the world. The Red Devils had it in them to compete with other continental giants such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. All of this diminished with the club’s fall from grace brought about by reduced success on the football pitch. United’s unrivalled commercial, marketing and branding power meant that the Red Devils still remained a force to be reckoned with but in all truth, the club always played second fiddle to its more succcessful Euro rivals. Most players gunning for a transfer would still opt for a destination where there was an assurance of trophies and silverware. Unfortunately, United have not been in a prime position to offer such guarantees.

Ten Hag is changing this however and as a result, United’s estimation in the transfer market is on a meteoric rise once more. The club is an attractive proposition to transfer targets. The constant drama and uncertainty that clouded the team in past years have been banished and can now be considered things of the past. Football matters top the priority list at Old Trafford once again. Younger players are being given significant first-team opportunities and there is a clear pathway to breaking through to the big time. Under Ten Hag, players are being allowed to thrive in a productive and positive environment where they can showcase their talents with a bit of guidance from key personnel. There is a unity that has engulfed the dressing room and players are fighting for one another. The fans, sections of which last season seemed to have turned their backs on the team, are now of one spirit with the squad. As Robin van Persie recently remarked after his visit to the team’s Carrington training complex, “Ten Hag is brewing something special.”

A report that came out on Thursday morning with regard to Jude Bellingham’s future – one of Europe’s most desired and coveted talents – detailed that the youngster’s entourage has taken note of the positive developments at United. While the Red Devils were initially not seriously in contention for the midfielder’s services, they are now in his thinking and the player can envisage himself being a vital part of Ten Hag’s ongoing revolution. Bellingham’s services will undoubtedly be shared by most other footballers who will be in the shop window ahead of big moves this summer. In the last summer transfer spell, Frenkie de Jong was thought to have paid little consideration to a United switch as he considered the English club a downgrade from Barcelona. Fast forward a few months later and things could not be any different – De Jong was on the losing side of a humbling defeat at the hands of United led by a manager who was extremely desperate to secure his services. I wonder whether he [De Jong] still thinks United is a step below Barcelona.

For most United fans, the hope is that the momentum continues and Ten Hag’s speeding train continues on at full throttle. If it does, the club stands to reap massively in the transfer window. Compound this with the fact that United could be under new owners with new financing in the coming weeks and the possibilities of the heights Ten Hag can reach are endless.

Derick Kinoti