Man United would love to appoint four-time Champions League winning manager to replace Erik ten Hag
Manchester United are now said to want to replace Erik ten Hag with a manager who has already won the Champions League four times.
Despite Ten Hag not appearing to be under any immediate threat, speculation is now rife about who could replace the Dutchman once the season concludes.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival is thought to mark a new era for the club, and many feel as if that may entail hiring a new manager too.
Gareth Southgate has been linked with the job a lot of late, given this summer’s Euros will probably mark the end of his eight year stint as national team boss.
The idea seems to be a polarising one among Man United fans, with many concerned that Southgate has only spent three or so years as a club manager, in charge of Middlesbrough.
Similarly, the Englishman has never won an honour in his managerial career, something that would have to quickly change.
That being said, there’s such concern with Man United’s ideal candidate this summer, even if he may be impossible to appoint.
Manchester United would love to replace Erik ten Hag with Carlo Ancelotti this summer
According to a new report by Football Transfers, Carlo Ancelotti would be the club’s ideal appointment this summer.
The Real Madrid manager is known to have a great relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson, a figure who would be popular at Old Trafford.
However, sadly a move for Ancelotti is not deemed realistic given he is currently under contract at one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
And the report did therefore go on to detail that Brentford’s Thomas Frank could be the club’s realistic manager they pursue.
Of course, once you take Ancelotti’s name out of the question, it really should be asked if either Southgate or Frank actually represent an upgrade on Ten Hag.
Yes, the former Ajax boss has underwhelmed, but Old Trafford hasn’t exactly been the perfect environment to succeed, either.
Hopefully things will be a lot better under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s guidance, and all the indications are currently positive.
But if Manchester United are to replace Erik ten Hag after the season, it should only be for a truly special profile, otherwise the Dutchman probably remains the best man to turn things around.
All that being said, Kobbie Mainoo is definitely a reason for optimism moving forward.
And both Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker have now shared their honest thoughts on his England debut.
Man Utd’s injuries could go from bad to worse after Fabrizio Romano update
Another concern has now hit the Red Devils.
Christian-Eriksen-Manchester-United-Bruno-Fernandes-Harry-Maguire
Journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a fresh Manchester United injury update, as their fitness issues threaten to go from bad to worse this season.
Man Utd’s injury woes
There is no question that the Red Devils have been disappointing in 2023/24 so far, with a top-four finish far from likely in the Premier League, but injuries have at times been a valid excuse for Erik ten Hag’s side’s shortcomings.
From back to front, United have had to make do without so many important players since last August, with Lisandro Martinez’s absence a huge loss at the heart of the defence. Ten Hag has also had to make do with issues for the likes of Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans, making his central defensive options depleted, while left-back pair Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have also been missing for long periods.
Rasmus-Hojlund-Man-United
In midfield, Christian Eriksen has been an absentee, among others, while star striker Rasmus Hojlund only recently returned from a spell out of the team just after finding his best form. That’s before even mentioning perennial absentees like Antony Martial, whose injury problems have been a major issue for a number of years now.
The international break has seen numerous United players head off to represent their respective countries, but now another fitness concern has emerged.
Fabrizio Romano drops Man Utd injury update
Writing on X on Monday, Romano said that Harry Maguire will undergo a scan on the injury that has seen him leave international duty with England, and while it is hoped the issue isn’t serious, it is yet another new concern for Ten Hag.
“Harry Maguire has left England national team camp as he’s set for scan after sustaining potential injury vs Brazil. Man United defender, not expected to be out for long time with injury initially described as not serious — scan will clarify more.”
Joe-Gomez-Harry-Maguire
This is just one more worry for United, who must feel cursed in the injury department this season, hardly ever managing to go through a period without someone else picking up a new problem.
While Maguire has taken plenty of flak down the years for his performances for the Red Devils, he has done well of late, including against Liverpool in their stunning 4-3 win in the FA Cup quarter-finals, winning five out of six aerial duels, according to Sofascore. Meanwhile, Ten Hag lauded his effort after United’s 1-0 win away to Fullham in the Premier League earlier in the season.
“[Maguire] was playing a massive, massive game. A very good performance. He showed leadership and in and out of possession he was very good, so I’m very pleased with that performance from Harry.”
Man Utd’s 10 most expensive signings
Total
1. Paul Pogba
£89.3m
2. Antony
£80.8m
3. Harry Maguire
£74m
4. Jadon Sancho
£72.3m
5. Romelu Lukaku
£72m
6. Rasmus Hojlund
£62.8m
7. Casemiro
£60.1m
8. Bruno Fernandes
£55.3m
9. Mason Mount
£54.6m
10. Anthony Martial
£51m
The hope is that Maguire’s injury is nothing serious once the results of the scan are revealed, though, and if passed fit, it would be a surprise not to see him in the starting lineup for United’s trip to Brentford on Saturday evening.
Henry is an experienced football writer with a huge passion and knowledge of the game.
With over a decade of writing under his belt, he has been part of Snack Media’s freelance team since 2020. He is also a main contributor for This Is Anfield, one of the world’s biggest Reds-related sites, where he writes features and news, and covers matchday content, from live blogs to the dreaded Player Ratings.
Henry is a Liverpool fan, which you may have guessed, and has also written articles for the Times and the Gu
ardian, as well as featured on the radio on BBC Radio 5 Live and LBC.
Over the years, he has also accumulated nearly 30,000 followers on Twitter and become a known voice on all things Reds.
Leave a Reply