Erik ten Hag has said that Manchester United's new leadership team are "eager" to complete more transfer business ahead of the new Premier League season.
Ten Hag's side concluded their pre-season tour of the United States on Saturday, losing 3-0 to Liverpool in South Carolina, making it three losses from their last five fixtures.
Both Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof were replaced at half-time due to injury, with Harry Maguire also missing the encounuter as a precaution.
New £52million arrival Leny Yoro is expected to miss the first three months of the season after picking up an injury against Arsenal.
Rasmus Hojlund is also set to be sidelined until September, with United expected to dip back into the transfer market to bolster their squad.
Ten Hag has registered his interest in Bayern Munich duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, but have yet to come to an agreement with the defensive pair.
However, Ten Hag is confident that football director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox and new chief executive Omar Berrada are working hard with new co-owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos, to get deals done.
“It is always difficult to say,” said Ten Hag, when asked if he expected to make changes to his squad in the next fortnight.
“We hope. We are always looking and this new leadership team is really eager to do business and to make deals. They are on it.
“But we have to wait if the timing is there and if the opportunities are there.”
United face rivals Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley next weekend, hopeful of replicating their FA Cup success over Pep Guardiola's side in May.
With Hojlund out and Bruno Fernandes returning to training next week, Ten Hag trialled Jadon Sancho in the number nine position against Liverpool.
Sancho, who notched five goal contributions in 14 league appearances on loan at Borussia Dortmund last season, struggled against Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah.
The 24-year-old managed an expected goals (xG) of 0.05 from his one shot, but impressed in his build-up play, registering 13 passes in the final third, a total only bettered by Casemiro (14).
“If Jadon wasn’t an option we wouldn’t have played him there,” said Ten Hag on playing Sancho instead of Marcus Rashford against City.
“Marcus has done it before and it is definitely an option but I think he is more productive from the left, when he is coming inside.”
Arsenal continued their preparations for the new Premier League season with a convincing 4-1 triumph over Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus gave the Gunners a comfortable advantage at half-time, with Kai Havertz adding a fourth in the second half.
Substitute Adam Hlozek would take the shine off an otherwise impressive performance from Mikel Arteta's side late on, but Arsenal were worthy winners at the Emirates.
A frantic start to proceedings saw Zinchenko give the hosts the lead in the eighth minute as he rifled home Havertz's cutback from the edge of the area.
Matej Kovar was picking the ball out of his net again less than a minute later, as Leverkusen were caught playing out from the back with Trossard remaining composed to slot home.
Another mistake from the Bundesliga champions was punished seven minutes before half-time, this time by Jesus, who saw his long-range effort evade the grasp of Kovar.
The result was put beyond doubt just after the hour mark when the returning Bukayo Saka saw his cross deflect kindly into the path of Havertz for an easy finish.
Xabi Alonso's side showed a glimpse of the football that saw them win 28 of their 34 league games last year, with Hlozek rounding off a fine move with a delicate chip over David Raya.
Arsenal face Lyon in their final pre-season fixture on Sunday before starting their quest for that elusive Premier League title against Wolves six days later.
Data Debrief: Gunners turn on the style
Arsenal impressed in their penultimate pre-season fixture against a strong Leverkusen side, with promising signs to show they can go one better this season.
Arteta's side out-performed their expected goals (xG) by 2.6, with six of their nine shots on target, registering double the amount of touches in the box when compared to their opponents.
Trossard was a particular standout for the Gunners, recording the most touches in the opposition box (seven) while also making the most passes in the final third (19), a total only bettered by Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka (24) and Edmond Tapsoba (21).
Onana promises 'a lot more risks' at Man Utd next season
Andre Onana has promised Manchester United fans that he will "take a lot more risks" when playing out from the back this season.
Erik ten Hag brought the Cameroonian into the club for his skill with the ball at his feet, however, he was occasionally caught out as United got used to his style.
He made some high-profile mistakes in the Red Devils' dismal Champions League campaign last year, though finished the season strongly, helping the club to lift the FA Cup.
During pre-season, United have brought in a new goalkeeper coach, Jelle ten Rouwelaar, as they continue to work on playing out from the back, and Onana says he is keen to keep adapting his style.
"That's me. And I think it's what you're gonna see this season because I will take a lot of risks," Onana told reporters.
"I can tell you in advance already! Be prepared because it's gonna be this season, trust me! I will enjoy it even more when this season starts.
"Of course, because the best team in the world takes risks. Building from the back, recognise things, situations, when the opponent jumps one against one, or when they press with three or with four, recognise we dominate the pressing if it's a no 9 or the 11.
"It's important to recognise those kind of things and make the best decision for the team. I will take a lot of responsibility and I think my back is huge to carry it all, no? I think it's gonna be nice this season."
Onana came under fire at times during his first season at the club, and the 28-year-old acknowledged it was a steep learning curve moving to Old Trafford.
"Being a player for Manchester United, when you don't win, it's fair to receive criticism because at the end of the day, it's part of the job," he added.
"We are here for it and me coming here as the best goalkeeper in the world, it's normal they were tough on me because they expect a lot from me, but at the same time, they also give me a lot of love.
"You just have to balance that, and critics sometimes are good, because you have to look back at what you did that was not good, so for me, I take it positively."
Ibrahimovic: I was not interested in listening to the Class of '92
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was "not interested in listening to the Class of '92" during his stint at Manchester United.
Ibrahimovic spent two years with United between 2016 and 2018, helping them win the EFL Cup and Europa League under Jose Mourinho.
The Swedish striker scored 29 goals in 53 appearances for the Red Devils.
However, he paid little attention to their illustrious past during his time at the club.
"In my mindset, I want to make my own history. I was not interested in what happened before, with all respect," he told The Athletic.
"[It] brings pressure to live up to what they were used to, but I was not interested in listening to the Class of '92.
"That doesn't help me because I wanted to [make] my own history. I wanted people to say, 'You won and United won this together.'"
Ibrahimovic's career spanned an impressive 24 years, with his move to the Premier League heavyweights coming when the striker was already 35.
He added: "People said I'm too old, I should retire, blah blah blah. But this triggers me. This — I will prove you wrong."
During his time in Manchester, Ibrahimovic won his first major European trophy, and he credits manager Mourinho for the success he experienced during his stint in England.
"Jose was a machine. He brings the best out of you. He's that person — manipulative. He knows how to get in your head. He knows how to treat you, independent of your level," Ibrahimovic said.
"He reminded me of [Fabio] Capello. But a newer version. Discipline. Hardcore. Intense. Not the soft types. This is what I like."
Ibrahimovic played under ex-England manager Capello while at Juventus from 2004 to 2006. And those disciplinarian values that were on display under Mourinho, also spurred him on in Italy.
"[Capello] was destroying me. But at the same time building me. How? Easy. 'Today you were s***. Tomorrow you’re the best.' And it would go like that," he recalled.
"So, when you think you're the best, he would destroy you. Then it becomes confusion and you don’t know: 'F***, am I really the best or am I s***?' So, when you were down, he was building you up.
"I didn’t understand it. There was no balance. But it made me always give 200%. He shaped me."
The five-time Serie A champion is now working as an advisor to Milan's board. While he was not overawed with United's history, he has learned from his former club's winning culture.
"You need an identity, culture and a tradition from the club, as well as a coach. A winner creates winners. Losers don't create winners. That's a culture," Ibrahimovic explains.
"When you come into the club, as a young talent or a player with potential, the club will shape you because you grow to understand the way a club works and the surroundings. At Milan, we want to create this in a positive way."
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