Ten Hag:
"Manchester United didn't exactly have the fear factor last season. There was no spirit. I saw no team dynamic in the squad. The mental resilience was very low. I saw that as an outsider - and also noticed it in my first weeks at the club. I looked at the culture of the club. I asked ‘how did Manchester United become great?"
"And for me, it was about Sir Alex Ferguson. His teams excelled in togetherness, collectivity, spirit. You just couldn't beat them."
"United always had top strikers like Cantona, Cole, Sheringham, Yorke, Van Nistelrooy, Van Persie. And top goalkeepers like Schmeichel, Van der Sar, De Gea."
"And think of players like Ryan Giggs or David Beckham. That’s the culture of Manchester United. I looked at that very carefully and then saw that last season's team looked fragile and vulnerable."
“When we get players, you look at their quality and technical skills. But you also look at their mental quality, that mental resilience - and we had to bring that back.”
"The club has bought an unimaginable number of players in recent years who have not been good enough."
"Most purchases have been average - and at United average is not good enough. United's shirt weighs heavily. Only real personalities, who can perform under great pressure, can play here."
"We needed personalities. That's why the acquisition of Casemiro was so important. Along with Raphael Varane, we now have a second player who has experience of winning titles."
"Malacia, Martinez, Casemiro, Antony are all fighters, while Christian Eriksen is a technical winner and a great personality. We want the best of the best. Any players we bring to Manchester United must meet the highest standard."
"I think we should be satisfied with where we are now given the bumps encountered in the early part of the season. We are not yet competitive with Manchester City - and I still see that club as a step too high at the moment."
"I also expect Liverpool to be right back - and I see them, together with City, as the two teams to beat in England. Also, Arsenal are having a super season and are already far ahead in the league."
"Below that, we have to battle with Chelsea, Newcastle and Spurs for the Champions League ticket, so the competition is huge. The club's aim is to play in the Champions League again. That should always be our goal. If we achieve that, it will feel like our championship."
