Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag admits he would’ve preferred to get his signings in early.

Asked about his squad still being assembled with pre-season in full swing, the 52-year-old conceded it was not the preparation he envisaged for his side.

“The best and the most perfect situation is when you start pre-season with the squad fully equipped, but most of the time that’s not the fact of football,” he told Sky Sports News.

“So I am realistic and I have to deal with the fact.”

Ten Hag insisted that he is happy with the way his players have responded to his new methods to date.

“Every new season is a new start,” he said. “Of course there is a past, but we don’t have to look back at the past, we have to look into the future.

“Those players have high potential, and when we construct a team, and they take the responsibility for their fitness, I am sure they will perform, and we will get the right results.

“I think it’s always a matter of developing. That’s with experienced players and with younger players. I am a coach, I am not afraid, if players are good enough and are old enough, I will play them.

“We set a high standard, and values, and the team respond to it. We are happy with that.”