Manager Erik ten Hag is keen to strengthen his squad in the transfer window, and that means no player is guaranteed a starting spot at Old Trafford.

“You can’t put everyone in one game,” Ten Hag said ahead of the trip to Brighton in the second round of the Premier League this week. “But you need everyone throughout the season, because only the strongest will survive this season. The attitude of the players is very important, sometimes they will be disappointed but you have to face that. You don’t win with 11 players, you win as a team. All the players need to be motivated. That’s not an expectation, it’s a demand from me and the club. The team is always more important than any individual.”

This summer, Man Utd spent $180 million to strengthen their squad, recruiting Mathijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui (from Bayern), Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna) and defender Leny Yoro (Lille). On the contrary, they said goodbye to Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial after their contracts expired, and sold Donny van de Beek, Willy Kambwala, Mason Greenwood, Facundo Pellistri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Coach Ten Hag instructs Joshu Zirkzee before bringing in the Dutch player as a substitute in Man Utd’s 1-0 win over Fulham in the first round of the Premier League on August 16 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Photo: AFP

Ten Hag said he was pleased with the transfer business, seeing these new recruits as proof that ambition and Man Utd are on the right track. “We brought in good players, quality additions, and they will greatly strengthen the squad,” he said.

This season, Ten Hag is likely to use Jadon Sancho again. Last season, he isolated the English winger from the first team, pushing him to Dortmund on loan due to conflicts. After the end of last season, the two sides made up. In the opening match against Fulham last week, Sancho was absent due to an ear infection.

According to Ten Hag, Sancho, like many other players, must maintain motivation and be ready to enter the field when required. He also said that Man Utd are still strengthening their squad and need two quality players in each position.

Coach Ten Hag chats with Casemiro at Carrington training ground on August 22. Photo: manutd.com

Man Utd are set to welcome their fifth signing, having agreed to spend around $65 million to sign Manuel Ugarte from PSG. After weeks of negotiations, the deal will be completed once Man Utd and PSG agree on a payment structure. When asked about the rumours, Ten Hag called for patience, stressing that Man Utd are working hard to strengthen their squad whenever they have the chance.

In Saturday night’s match against Brighton, Ten Hag confirmed that Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Leny Yoro and Ramus Hojlund are out due to injury. He expects fellow striker Zirkzee to continue to shine, after scoring the only goal to give Man Utd their first three points.