Erik Ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, is unsure if he will stay in his position beyond this season, although the team is still connected to other coaches.
At Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag is losing the struggle to stay on as the team’s new executive leadership is already vetting possible successors.
The Dutchman is under pressure after his excellent rookie season the previous year, which he was unable to build upon. United, who left this year’s campaign early, is currently sixth in the Premier League and faces a difficult task in trying to qualify for the Champions League.
Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe joined the club, there has been more scrutiny on Ten Hag’s role. After purchasing a 27.7% share in the squad, the Ineos CEO and his group now oversee sporting operations at Old Trafford, and they will ultimately decide whether or not Ten Hag stays on the bench in the long run.
However, it has come to light this week that talks have taken place with two coaches who have been mentioned as potential Manchester United managers in the future. One such contender is Zinedine Zidane, the former manager of Real Madrid, who has recently had private conversations with Jean-Claude Blanc, the chief executive of sport at Ineos.
Despite being single since departing Los Blancos for the second time in 2021, the renowned Frenchman is still regarded as one of the best coaches in the world. During his two stints at the Bernabeu, he won three straight Champions League campaigns in addition to two Spanish titles.
The Sun claims that Graham Potter is also worth considering. Not only is it said that he is the most deserving successor to Ten Hag if he decides to quit the club, but he also met with Dan Ashworth in private last weekend.
United has shown a great deal of interest in Ashworth for several months. After a compensation deal is agreed upon, he is anticipated to join the team from Newcastle. The Magpies placed him on gardening leave last month.
Even though Ineos hasn’t decided whether to hire a new manager or not, it’s noteworthy that they’re maintaining lines of communication with two coaches whom Ratcliffe and his group hold in high respect.
Before the Manchester derby on Sunday, Ten Hag stated he was unconcerned about Ratcliffe’s decision to not publicly support him. “I’m here, I have a three-season contract, so I don’t care,” he declared. I don’t care what’s going on around me because I’m in this process and my sole concentration is on the process. I have spoken with Sir Dave Brailsford, Sir Jim Radcliffe, and other members of the group on numerous occasions.
I am aware of the subject at hand, I firmly believe in myself, and I sense their belief in me. However, I’m not thinking about my situation. I’m only thinking about the team, and I have to come up with solutions for them so they can work as efficiently as possible.
“The key is to keep your attention on that and avoid being sidetracked by sounds or other distractions. I’m skilled at what I do. We have had conversations regularly and are currently discussing our shared future.”