EPL: Zlatan Ibrahimovic doubtful of Ten Hag’s ability to handle Manchester United

Retired Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has expressed doubts about Ten Hag’s ability to handle the club’s “ego”.

Since taking over as the manager of the English Premier League side in the summer of 2022, the Dutch boss has adopted a stiff approach to build his team, laying off many players, including Cristiano Ronaldo who now plays for Al Nassr.

He also allowed David De Gea to leave the club at the end of his contract, and recently sidelined Jadon Sancho for not meeting the required standards for a Man United player.

With Manchester United currently trailing 10th in the Premier League table, pressure is gradually mounting on Ten Hag to deliver, and Ibrahimovic, a former Red Devils star, believes the pressure for results at Old Trafford is different from that of Dutch clubs like Ajax, the coach’s last managed team before United.

Speaking to Piers Morgan on Talk TV, Ibrahimovic pointed out the difference between the two clubs, saying, “Ajax is a talented club. They have the best talents in the club. They don’t have big stars.”

He emphasized that the atmosphere is different and unique at Manchester United where the expectations and pressure to win are high because of big stars at the club.

Ibrahimovic stressed the importance of having a clear plan and project to follow, acknowledging that managing a top club like Manchester United requires dealing with both successes and challenges.

However, the Swedish football legend called for support for the manager, while emphasizing the need for fans to belief in the long-term project to achieve success at a club.