This search for Manchester United's next manager has been going on for months, but the train has finally emerged from the darkness and is now heading toward the light.

Announcing Erik ten Hag as Manchester United's new manager is now more a matter of when than if the club has completed its search for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's permanent successor. United's chosen candidate, Ajax's CEO, was sounded out last month and it would take a stunning turn of events to prevent him from directing the next chapter in United's history.

The fact that Ten Hag has never managed a team of this size or dealt with players with such large egos and reputations has earned him the chance to try out for the job. During his more than four-year tenure, he has substantially improved his manager's reputation and re-established Ajax as a household name.

In addition to the success of Ajax in reaching the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, Ten Hag's work in assembling multiple competitive and attractive squads should be recognized during his time in the Netherlands capital. After Tottenham Hotspur's shocking setback, the class of 2019 was almost instantly split apart by their success, meaning Ten Hag had to start over from scratch.

The challenge was one he rose to and conquered with flying colors. Ajax suffered the loss of key players such as Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong in the summer of 2008, as well as Hakim Ziyech and Donny van de Beek the following year, but Ten Hag remained calm and continued to adhere to the club's stringent policy of finding hidden gems and developing local academy potential.

This steadfastness has served both Ten Hag and Ajax well during the length of their management union. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp even applauded it back in December 2020.

While Ajax are a wonderful club, and one of the most illustrious in European football, it is clear that they have outstanding leadership in their organization, and Erik is a big part of that, according to the German. Erik is rightly regarded as one of the most exciting coaching talents in world football at the moment, due to his work with Ajax.

"After losing a few key players to other teams, they've had to change their approach the last several seasons. This is something I can relate to from my own time at Dortmund.

"It is quite remarkable how they deal with it. The team's foundations are sound, and they've done a good job recruiting new members.

"They know who they are. I can't get enough of them, to be honest."

Ajax has mastered the art of smart and reasonable recruitment in the last few years. Not by a long shot, United.

Here, Ten Hag's expertise may shine. There is no sense in hiring a manager who is known for adhering to a strict policy and structure when United are in such desperate need of one themselves. United must give the Dutchman assurances, however, that he will have significant input into the day-to-day running of the football side of the business.

It's encouraging to see that United have already begun planning for Ten Hag's visit. The Manchester Evening News knows that the Dutchman may veto any plans for the summer transfer window once he gets his feet beneath the table and can voice his ideas on topics.

Even if it's a small step in the big scope of the task that lies ahead for Ten Hag, it's a logical one. In recent years, he has demonstrated that he is an adept recruiter, and Old Trafford's recruitment department has lacked this experience in recent years.

It is for this reason that Klopp's love for Ten Hag is so significant, in the sense that United should pay special attention to what he has said and recognize that everything must be arranged cleanly and well organized in order for the 52-year-old to succeed and make United great again. That being said, don't expect things to happen immediately.

Although there is some risk associated with appointing Ten Hag as manager, this is an exciting time for the team. When Ten Hag's abilities are recognized, United provides the tools he needs, and ensures that everyone sings from the same hymnal, it may be a match made in heaven.