Ten Hag sack? Man Utd players ‘expect’ new manager as Red Devils boss makes private admission
Erik ten Hag’s players are expecting the Man Utd manager to get sacked before the start of next season, according to reports.
The Dutchman led the Red Devils to an FA Cup final, League Cup silverware and a top-four finish in the Premier League during his first campaign at Old Trafford.
However, Man Utd had a poor first half of this season with Ten Hag’s men crashing out of the Champions League in the group stage, exiting the League Cup and struggling to find consistency in the Premier League.
Four Premier League wins in a row in February had fans dreaming of Champions League qualification again but losses to Fulham and Man City in their last two league fixtures has seen the pressure build on Ten Hag.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who completed a deal to buy 25 per cent of the club last month, is now in charge of footballing operations and there is speculation that the British billionaire might change the manager.
The Daily Mail insist that the Man Utd players ‘expect’ Ten Hag to be ‘sacked’ and they are ‘anticipating Sir Jim Ratcliffe will appoint a new manager’ in the summer.
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It is understood that the players are ‘increasingly doubtful’ that the Man Utd boss will be at Old Trafford next season despite Ten Hag still having ‘the support of the dressing room’.
The Daily Mail adds:
‘Mail Sport understands that many in the United squad believe it is likely new co-owners Ineos will make a change at the end of the season and sack the Dutchman after two years at the helm.
‘Although Ten Hag insists he is on the same page as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford, and feels aligned with them on the back of positive conversations, he has confided to coaching staff and agents that he has no guarantees over his future at Old Trafford.’
Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is one of the managers linked to Ten Hag’s role but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano insists he’s “not aware of contacts” between the Premier League club and the Frenchman.
Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “We know there will be a lot of movement of managers this summer as there will be jobs opening up at Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but it seems we’re also getting speculation about some other clubs as well.
“I’m aware there have been more reports about Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United, with Zinedine Zidane the latest name mentioned as a candidate for that job. I must stress, though, that I’m not aware of contacts between Zidane and Manchester United so far. Nothing is concrete on that, as of now. Let’s see what INEOS decide to do in general in the next months after positive initial discussions with Ten Hag, but Zidane is currently not negotiating with United.”
