Manchester United are set to announce the appointment of Erik ten Hag as the club’s next manager, sources have told ESPN.
The 52-year-old, who was interviewed by United last month, had been on a four-man shortlist along with Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino, Spain coach Luis Enrique and Sevilla’s Julen Lopetegui after Thomas Tuchel from Chelsea and Julian Nagelsmann from Bayern Munich were ruled out, being unreachable due to their commitment to their current clubs.
Sources in England and the Netherlands have told ESPN that United have decided on Ten Hag as their new manager and that the former Utrecht manager is set to leave the Dutch champions to take charge of the Old Trafford club at the end of the season.
United’s search for a new manager has been led by director of football John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher, who have briefed chief executive Richard Arnold and co-chairman Joel Glazer, who will have the final say on the appointment.
Sources told ESPN that while some at United considered Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino, Arnold and Glazer agree that Ten Hag is the best candidate to replace caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick, who has been in charge. interim since last December.
The choice of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s successor ultimately came down to a direct battle between Ten Hag and Pochettino, but the difficulties experienced by Pochettino at PSG this season, combined with the potential cost of releasing him from the remaining 12 months of his contract at the Parc des Princes, leave the former Spurs manager behind Ten Hag for both footballing and financial reasons.
Pochettino had initially been United’s favorite candidate to replace Solskjaer, who was sacked by United a month before his third anniversary as manager last November, and the club knew the 50-year-old manager would be open to a move to Old Trafford. after struggling to bring order to PSG since taking over in the middle of last season.
But PSG’s elimination from the Champions League in the round of 16 against Real Madrid, having won 2-0 in the first leg, did not help their cause with United’s offer due to the club’s determination to avoid signing a technician who is considered to have failed in a recent role.
PSG’s willingness to wait for a $19m compensation package was another issue for United, who can name Ten Hag if he pays £2.2m compensation to Ajax Amsterdam.
The sources added that Rene Meulensteen, first-team coach under Sir Alex Ferguson from 2007 to 2013, is a considered candidate to be Ten Hag’s assistant. The club’s recruiting department has also been told that he will finalize player lists at each position and present them to the new manager, although he will also be allowed to present his own targets.
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Sources: Erik ten Hag, next Manchester United manager