Ten Hag is already giving Man Utd what they need despite transfer frustration

Frustration has been building over Manchester United's transfer window so far - but Erik ten Hag is already impressing as he addresses the Red Devils' decline.

The former Ajax boss has been tasked with a major rebuild following the club's worst ever Premier League season. United endured a dismal end to the campaign and missed out on a top-four finish under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

Reports suggested ten Hag had been handed a warchest in excess of £100million in a bid to reshape the failing squad. However, it has so far been a disappointing window as United fans have watched their domestic rivals make swift moves to strengthen.

Tyrell Malacia is so far the only senior arrival at Old Trafford, and the Feyenoord full-back will provide competition for Luke Shaw and Alex Telles. Recent speculation has focused upon the future of Cristiano Ronaldo, with the United legend said to be pushing for an exit just one year after his return.

Red Devils' director of football John Murtough has not joined the tour in an attempt to close four deals following the arrival of Malacia. Talks are ongoing for Antony, Frenkie de Jong, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez following lengthy transfer sagas.

However, arguably the biggest problem currently facing ten Hag is instilling an identity into a squad that has too often looked weaker than the sum of its parts. Toxicity rather than tactics has too often dominated the headlines as an expensively-assembled squad has consistently underwhelmed.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer initially found success with a counter-attacking approach, but ideas appear to have been in short supply in recent months. However, ten Hag looks to have wasted no time in stamping his authority at his new club as they begin their pre-season tour in Thailand.

The United manager has reportedly led each training session from the front since the players returned ahead of the new season. A club source described the Eredivise winner as a 'conductor' who has been 'very direct and very concise' in his instructions, according to the Telegraph.

The change of backroom staff has also been the subject of praise. Mike Phelan is no longer part of the coaching team, while the recently appointed duo of Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag have taken a 'hands-on' role.

It has only been a matter of weeks, but it is a change on the training ground which has been seemingly been welcomed by the squad. Victor Lindelof told reporters: "It has been absolutely fantastic, the new boss since he came - he has been explaining very well and doing his practices well.

"The level of the training has really stepped up. He has been talking to us a lot about his expectations and what he wants us to do on the pitch. It's been great and we need to work very hard.

"I think he is very good at paying attention to the details. If something is not right in an exercise he can stop and explain it again for us and that's a very good thing for us.

"He's been here for two weeks and we can't learn everything in that time so it's important for him to do that and explain it."

Of course, none of this changes the scale of the task facing ten Hag at Old Trafford. Significant investment in the coming windows will be required before United can consider competing with Liverpool and Manchester City at the summit once again.

The Red Devils could be given an early reminder of the gap which needs to be bridged when they face Jurgen Klopp's side in their first pre-season assignment in Bangkok. Yet despite the constant noise from the outside, it appears ten Hag is quietly but quickly taking the required steps to extract the best from a side which has looked leaderless for too long.