Man Utd to ‘announce’ Ten Hag ‘next week’ after they trigger £1.7m clause

Joe Williams
Man Utd target Erik ten Hag speaks to the press

Man Utd are ready to trigger Erik ten Hag’s release clause at Ajax and announce his arrival next week, according to reports.

There have been a number of reports over the last week indicating that the Dutchman is now the overwhelming favourite to be appointed the new permanent manager at Old Trafford.

Mauricio Pochettino, Julen Lopetegui and Luis Enrique have all reportedly been part of the process but it now looks likely that Ten Hag is their man.


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There were claims yesterday that RB Leipzig had made a late effort to get Ten Hag to move there instead in the summer but they were quickly dismissed by one journalist as “nonsense”.

One thing holding a deal up was a ‘huge list of demands’ with Voetbal International journalist Freek Jansen insisting on Saturday that a deal was far from done.

However, Football Insider now claim that Man Utd are ‘set to trigger’ Ten Hag’s release clause at Ajax ‘after deciding to make him their new manager’.

A source has told the website that Ten Hag is ‘expected to accept their offer to replace interim boss Ralf Rangnick’ before the Premier League club finish ‘finalising negotiations with Ajax’.

The Man Utd hierarchy are suggesting ‘behind the scenes’ that ‘an announcement will be made as early as next week’ to make Ten Hag’s appointment official.

Ajax have not stood in United’s way so far and they have little power to keep Ten Hag in the Netherlands with the Dutch club inserting just a £1.7m release clause in his contract.

Man Utd interim boss Rangnick was very coy when asked about the reports over Ten Hag replacing him as manager in the summer.

Speaking on Friday, the German said: “I think this is the press conference for tomorrow’s game and I don’t intend to speak about any possible new managers here.

“From what I know, all the managers with whom the club have so far spoken are top managers, top coaches. If this includes Erik ten Hag, then it’s also true with him. That’s all I can say at this stage.”

When pressed on his successor, Rangnick added: “I know which coaches they have spoken to so far and that’s why I can say all of the coaches that have spoken to are top coaches.”