In their ongoing hunt for a new manager, Manchester United are still leaning toward Erik ten Hag, who is still the favorite of both the club's board and the fans. Recently, according to MEN Sport, Ajax expect their manager to step down this summer, yet former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is still in the running for the vacant manager's position at Old Trafford.

In a recent interview with United, according to The Independent, Ten Hag demonstrated his abilities, but it is said that his prospective new employers were not 'blown away' by his performance. During Tottenham's own management search last summer, the club's administration was said to have had similar reservations about the Dutchman, who was subsequently recruited and then fired inside five months by Nuno Espirito Santo.

Many in the United supporters regard Pochettino as a backup plan, but it appears that even under Ten Hag, things will not be smooth sailing, as he reportedly sketched out a five-year plan to his prospective employers, which would hopefully see United return to the top of the Premier League. This is a break from the "quick-fix" attitude that has pervaded the club over the past decade.

Many fans had come to terms with the fact that the new manager would not be able to solve all of the problems at the club overnight. Considering the fact that Pep Guardiola has one more year left on his contract and Jurgen Klopp has two more, this is extremely troubling. But a decade is a long time in football and demonstrates the amount of the damage that was done to the club under Ed Woodward.

According to a story in The Independent, Ten Hag also laid out a plan for how the next five years will be spent putting together a squad capable of competing with the best in Europe. This included Ajax players who fit the mold of the Dutchman's desired team composition.

In his comments, Ten Hag stated that United's team was not in 'Champions League shape,' and that the team would need to increase its fitness levels if it was to play in the Dutchman's favored manner, as well as execute a counter-press in order to deal with the finest attacking teams in the world. This will take a significant amount of time.

There is a chance that United may be able to win some trophies within those five years, but it will take time to entirely transform a club's vision and bring it into the current era. Five-year plans may appear extravagant to some, but Ten Hag is simply being realistic with his timetable and goals.