Ten Hag eyes Man United stay under Ratcliffe, INEOS – sources،
Erik ten Hag believes he still has time to win over new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and keep his job as Manchester United manager, sources have told ESPN.
Ten Hag are under pressure at Old Trafford after a largely disappointing second season in charge.
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The Dutchman has received no formal guarantee he will remain in his role as Ratcliffe and his team – led by INEOS director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford – continue their audit of football operations following their stake purchase 27.7% in the club. .
Despite doubts about his future, Ten Hag remains convinced that no final decision has yet been made and that he still has time to gain the full support of Ratcliffe and Brailsford.
Ten Hag was fully involved in planning the summer transfer window but, according to sources, Brailsford also monitored other candidates for the job in case a change of manager was necessary.
Gareth Southgate, Graham Potter, Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Thomas Tuchel, Julen Lopetegui, Zinedine Zidane, Ruben Amorim and Julian Nagelsmann have all been discussed internally as potential replacements.
Sources have told ESPN that Ratcliffe is determined to be as ambitious as possible with his appointments to key positions and that formal approaches for candidates like Ange Postecoglou, who has been at Tottenham for less than a year, have not been made. been excluded.
Targeting Postecoglou, or any manager currently secure in a job, would follow an aggressive recruitment policy since Ratcliffe's investment which saw United appoint Manchester City's Omar Berrada as their new CEO and approach Newcastle United over the appointment of Dan Ashworth as sports director.
Sources have told ESPN that Ratcliffe and Brailsford believe recent United managers have been let down by an off-field structure that is not fit for purpose and that if Ten Hag does enough to justify another year at the head, he would benefit from working alongside Berrada and Ashworth.
Ten Hag has a contract until 2025 but, according to sources, understands he has been left vulnerable by a disappointing campaign, with United at risk of missing out on qualification for next season's Champions League.
With 10 games remaining, United are sixth in the Premier League table, six points behind fifth-placed Tottenham and nine adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Finishing fifth in the Premier League could, however, be enough to earn a place in the Champions League via UEFA performance places for next season's new expanded competition.
