Man Utd ‘assess’ Southgate and Premier League pair as Ten Hag sack ‘expected’

Manchester United are ‘assessing’ Gareth Southgate as one of three potential successors to Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag has endured a difficult second season at United, and following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a 27.7 per cent stake in the club last month, ESPN report that ‘options are being explored to gauge credentials and availability of possible replacements’.

Is Southgate the man for Manchester United?

Southgate is one of three managers being ‘assessed’ by Ratcliffe and Ineos, along with Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and Brentford’s Thomas Frank.

“Everybody is looking at De Zerbi,” one source told ESPN, in reference to reported interest from Barcelona, Liverpool and Chelsea, among others, while it’s probably fair to say no-one is looking at Frank, whose ‘success at building a high-energy team at Brentford while embracing the London club’s data-led approach to recruitment has earned admirers at Old Trafford’.

Southgate – who’s had no involvement in the club game since being sacked by Middlesbrough in 2009 – is an ‘outsider’ for the role, but a candidate all the same, though he is still undecided over his post-Euro 2024 future with England.

But Southgate’s close relationship with soon-to-be sporting director Dan Ashworth may well be key, after the pair worked together during Ashworth’s six-year stint as the FA’s director of elite development.

Could Ten Hag remain beyond the summer?

A report on Tuesday claimed that many of the United squad ‘expect’ Ten Hag to be sacked at the end of the season, and given how the season is going, it will come as no great surprise.

Champions League qualification looks unlikely even if fifth spot becomes enough based on England’s UEFA coefficient, as United would have to close a six-point gap on Tottenham, who have played one game fewer.

The club is said to be aware that Ten Hag’s ‘reputation remains high in Europe’, particularly in Germany, where Bayer Leverkusen and Vfb Stuttgart could join Bayern in having an attractive managerial vacancy at the end of this season.

But all is not lost for Ten Hag, with the report claiming he ‘could yet banish the uncertainty surrounding his position by inspiring the team to a successful end to the season’, with his ‘readiness to back youngsters such as Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund’ seen as a signifant feather in his cap.

It’s also worth bearing the cost of sacking Ten Hag and paying a release fee for a new manager, something United may simply not be able to afford.

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