However, the manager's apparent penchant for players who have played in the Eredivisie oversteps the mark. Ten Hag is a continuation of this long and mostly successful relationship. The club's Dutch links stretch back to Arnold Muhren in the 1980s and were strengthened by the roaring successes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam and Robin van Persie, as well as Louis van Gaal's colourful two years in charge. The Netherlands has a rich football history, producing some of the best players and managers of all-time, and United have a rich connection with the country. Finally there is Sofyan Amrabat, United's latest arrival, who came through the ranks at Utrecht and played under Ten Hag before switching to Feyenoord and then to Club Brugge of Belgium in 2018, eventually joining the Red Devils from Fiorentina via Hellas Verona.

Then there is Wout Weghorst, who began his career in his native Netherlands but moved to Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga in 2018.