RALF MINDS THE BUSINESS

RALF RANGNICK has strengthened his power base at Manchester United by bringing in a 75-year-old engineer and the father of Tino Werner’s girlfriend to work with him at Old Trafford.

And he’s vowed to get into the “hearts, brains and blood” of his players after recruiting a sports psychologist to his staff.

Rangnick has brought in mind guru Sascha Lense, with whom he worked at RB Leipzig, to work with United’s players.

Mense, 46, is the father of Paula Magdelena Lense, who has been dating Chelsea forward Werner for the last four years.

Rangnick’s mentor Helmut Gross, the man who helped him develop his football philosophy at Stuttgart 30 years ago, has also joined him.

Ahead of his first Champions League match with United against Young Boys tonight Rangnick said: “I can tell the players whatever I want but I need to convince them. I need to get into their heart, into their brains, their blood.

“So we’ve decided to bring in a sports psychologist in Sascha Lense. I worked with him for three years at Leipzig.

“One year we won promotion from the second division to first with myself and the following two years with Ralph Hasenhuttl as head coach and Thomas Tuchel as his assistant.

“He’ll be introduced to the team as soon as he’s got his visa and work permit. I hope we’ll have him on board at the latest Thursday.

“In Germany, most clubs have sports psychologists.

“For me, it’s absolutely logical. If you have special coaches for goalkeeping, fitness, for strikers or whatever, then you should have an expert in your team for the brain.”