Man United 2-2 Aston Villa: Your questions answered by Simon Stone

From what I have seen in both the team and the environment so far under Erik ten Hag, there has been a massive uplift in attitude and performance in both training as well as matches. But will Cristiano Ronaldo have a negative impact on the squad again? Shaun, Brighton (and others)

This is the great unknown. Speak to people on this trip – I interviewed Raphael Varane and asked him about Ronaldo – and they will back him. But what else can they say?

Ronaldo was a divisive influence on the squad last season. But some people will say that comes from an attitude that has only ever accepted the best – and last season was way off that.

The pictures of him training wearing United shorts suggest commitment. But the continued talk of him wanting to play in the Champions League suggests the exact opposite. We will only know the answer here when – or if – he comes back. And then it is Erik ten Hag’s job to manage the situation.

What I do think is Ten Hag has more power to leave Ronaldo out of his team than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Ralf Rangnick did last season.

Given Ajax are traditionally 4-3-3, and Manchester City and Liverpool have had great success playing that system, what are the chances of a long-term switch by United? Anon, Manchester

Two holding midfielders comes out of a need to protect your defence, really.

The very best teams only need one – and that is because the full-backs push on. I would be surprised if there is major tinkering until Ten Hag has got the defence he wants.

Evidently, Lisandro Martinez is going to play. But he is 5ft 9in. I know Ten Hag has total confidence in him but I can see players such as Chris Wood, Raul Jimenez and Michail Antonio pulling on to him and asking for the ball to be played in the air. It will be fascinating to see how Martinez deals with that.

Then there is the right side. I wondered out loud on social media whether Raphael Varane was really going to be a back-up to Harry Maguire. People pointed out Varane has had so many injuries, his fitness cannot be trusted. That is a fair point.

I expect Christian Eriksen to get on the ball a lot but he is not a defensive player as you say. It depends who Ten Hag trusts to stop opposition teams scoring goals against his.

As a fan this feels different for Manchester United now. Erik ten Hag seems to have control of the situation. Would you agree there is a different feel to Manchester United this summer from the top down? Ian, Northern Ireland

I agree there is a different feel.

Richard Arnold is a different chief executive to Ed Woodward and football director John Murtough has been empowered to negotiate over transfer targets. Ultimately though – and they know this – football is about results. If results go for you, quirky aspects of a club can be seen as a positive. If they go against you, they are viewed as a negative. The margins can be very small.

It is unrealistic to expect United to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool this season. It is not unrealistic to expect a top-four spot – they finished second two seasons ago. The time for assessment starts with the Brighton game that kicks off their Premier League season on 7 August. Judgement needs to be reserved until the end of the season at least.

What is it about the way Manchester United go about transfer business that means it appears to take them so much longer to sign players compared to rival clubs? Will, Sutton Coldfield

United would argue they are negotiating to get the best deals. I realise it does seem as if they are prevaricating at times but all transfers are complicated. There are at least three parties – two clubs and a player – and everything has to be aligned. If doing transfers was straightforward, there wouldn’t be the frenzy around every transfer deadline day.

And I don’t think there is a club that hasn’t got sucked into a deal like that at one time or another. The richest and most successful clubs have the best chance of getting deals done early. United are rich, but not successful just now.

I’m very concerned we haven’t strengthened our midfield. Do you think holding out for De Jong is a dangerous move as I can’t see us improving on last season unless we get at least one, maybe two more signings. I know we signed Eriksen but he is more of an attacking midfielder. We were outplayed by the majority of teams last season. Thanks. Anon, Coventry.

In some ways, I admire United’s stance on De Jong – but it is a gamble to an extent. It feels a bit like 2013 – also in Australia – when the feeling was Cesc Fabregas was going to sign. Talks went on and on and on and in the end, it didn’t happen and David Moyes’ squad was not strong enough to carry him through that key first season.

I assume Ten Hag has some kind of communication with De Jong and knows what the real situation is. I am also under the impression that the alternatives simply do not fit the template. So, should United abandon a player their manager really wants and buy someone not as good for a lot of money? I think they are following the right strategy at the moment.

After watching the friendly against Aston Villa, I feel David de Gea needs to go. I really like him but he isn’t physically big or strong enough to be a Premier League goalkeeper. Anon, Oxford (and others)

There are a couple of things here. Firstly, when you say “needs to go”, to where? We are talking about one of the best-paid players at Manchester United. Which club willing to pay that kind of money in wages needs a goalkeeper?

And then, is it a team De Gea wants to play for? De Gea was one of the few United players – some might say the only one – to come out of last season without his reputation taking a hit.

I don’t see any reason to think he will not be in goal against Brighton or that Ten Hag has doubts over him that would necessitate a sale. The new manager has targets he is still pursuing. A top-class number one goalkeeper is not among them.

Are Anthony Martial and Aaron Wan-Bissaka up for sale? Daniel

There was a view if someone had come in for Anthony Martial and paid the right price, he could have gone. I don’t think that situation still exists because of his form on this trip.

Wan-Bissaka is an interesting one. It seems obvious Diogo Dalot is ahead of him purely down to their respective minutes on this trip. That might mean United were open to letting him go and I could see why a move might appeal.

But the idea is to have competition for places. Is Wan-Bissaka willing to go without at least trying to win Ten Hag over? And if he did, United would need a replacement.