Ten Hag: Real Madrid connection created too much player power at Man Utd, INEOS broke their promises

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro, and Raphaël Varane of contributing to a toxic atmosphere inside the Old Trafford dressing room. Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, the Dutch tactician claimed that the influence of the three former Real Madrid stars heightened player power at the expense of the manager, which he felt was ill-suited to the club's rebuilding process.

"I think the Madrid connection brought in players who had a lot of power and wanted to decide things for themselves. In my opinion, that wasn't right for where Manchester United was as a club. The leadership wanted dynamic, attacking football, whereas those players wanted to play in a way that suited them best," Ten Hag explained. By the "Madrid connection", he referred to Ronaldo, Casemiro, and Varane, who have 14 Champions League titles between them from their time at the Bernabéu.

Ten Hag also criticised the club's hierarchy over their handling of discipline, claiming they continued to fuel a toxic culture rather than backing the manager's efforts to enforce standards. He cited the situations involving Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho as examples where players were granted too much leeway.

The Dutchman revealed his deep disappointment and frustration with the board's decision to sell Scott McTominay to Napoli in the summer of 2024, despite an agreement between them that the Scotland international would remain at Old Trafford. The former Red Devils boss claimed the club's hierarchy reneged on assurances made to him during talks in Ibiza when discussing his contract extension.

"They promised me loyalty, they promised me support, they promised me communication, and that we would be unified in our decisions. We discussed the issues, but those promises were not kept," Ten Hag said. He insisted he had pushed hard to keep McTominay, believing the squad needed goals and players with the right character.

"We had an agreement in Ibiza. I said, 'Do not sell Scott McTominay.' We had to act together in the transfer window. I explained my reasons — we lacked goalscorers. Scott brings goals and has a fantastic mentality. He wears the club on his sleeve. When the idea of selling him came up, I said no. In the end, they sold him anyway. Naturally, I felt very uncomfortable and let down," the former manager stated.

McTominay departed United in August 2024, joining Napoli in a deal worth around £25.7m, with the Manchester club using the funds to sign Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain. The midfielder quickly became a key figure in Antonio Conte's side, helping Napoli secure the 2024/25 Serie A title, with his standout performances in Italy only magnifying the criticism surrounding United's decision to let him go. Meanwhile, Ugarte struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford, enduring a difficult debut campaign with the Red Devils.

Ten Hag also reflected on what he expected from the board when agreeing to extend his stay following United's 2024 FA Cup triumph. "I wouldn't have extended if I only had one year left. I said I needed another year and that we had to do this together," he explained. However, the Dutchman was sacked in October of that year following a dismal start to the season. In the interview, he took aim at the club's direction under Sir Jim Ratcliffe, noting that uncertainty and a lack of alignment made his job exceedingly difficult.