Sir Jim Ratcliffe rejects Sir Alex Ferguson recommendation for a new Man Utd manager
Sir Alex Ferguson’s candidate for Man Utd looks set to be rejected
Manchester United are shockingly ready to snub the manager Sir Alex Ferguson has recommended they appoint, with reports claiming that an approach has been made for a different coach.
Erik ten Hag is waiting to find out whether he will stay on as Man Utd boss or be sacked. The review into Ten Hag’s future is expected to be completed by the end of the week, which is when Man Utd will announce whether the Dutchman has done enough to remain in charge.
Some fans may be disappointed if Ten Hag is fired after he stunned Manchester City and helped Man Utd win the FA Cup final in their last game of the season. Others, though, will be happy to see the back of Ten Hag after another poor league campaign in which the Red Devils only managed to finish eighth, behind the likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Amid uncertainty over whether the 54-year-old will remain in the Old Trafford hot seat, Man Utd have recently spoken with Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino about replacing him, while admiring glances have also been sent towards England boss Gareth Southgate.
According to reporter Graeme Bailey, Man Utd legend Ferguson has told the club to bring in former Spurs and Chelsea manager Pochettino.
Ferguson has long been a fan of the Argentine and even had dinner with him back in 2016, which started the rumours about Pochettino leading Man Utd.
But earlier on Monday it was revealed that Pochettino’s chances of becoming the new Man Utd manager are dwindling. The 52-year-old has held talks with Man Utd chiefs, but they no longer view him as a prime candidate, which will disappoint Ferguson.
Tuchel has also ruled himself out of the running as he wants to take a break from the game following his Bayern Munich departure, rather than jump straight back into management with Man Utd.
Ten Hag sack: Roberto De Zerbi overtakes Ferguson candidate
On Monday morning, it emerged that former Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi is rising up Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s wish list and is set to challenge Southgate for the potential vacancy.
Bailey has now provided an update, stating that Man Utd have begun the process of trying to land De Zerbi by making contact with the 45-year-old’s entourage.
De Zerbi recently decided to leave Brighton, but an agreement between those two parties means Man Utd will have to pay the Seagulls £5million in compensation to appoint him.
The Italian may not be Ferguson’s No 1 choice for the Man Utd job, but he still has some very big admirers in the game.
In March, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said he was doing an ‘incredible’ job on the south coast. Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has repeatedly labelled De Zerbi one of the most influential coaches at the top of the European game.
Man Utd swooping for De Zerbi would please their former striker Teddy Sheringham, too. When asked about such a move last month, Sheringham said: “It’s a tough one. I still like Roberto De Zerbi.
“I think he has done well at Brighton again this season under difficult circumstances. They’ve sold a lot of quality players over the seasons, that’s the model they have there, and I’m not sure that they’ve reinvested that money to keep the team on the same level as last season. Even with that lack of investment, I think De Zerbi has still done a decent job…
“I’m still looking at De Zerbi and thinking he could have the ability to manage Manchester United. He seems a little bit temperamental, but I quite like his ethics and the way he speaks about football and plays the game.
“He wants his teams to play in a certain way and you can tell that he loves football. I like his optimistic view of football and I like the way his teams play.”
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