Ratcliffe has ‘already made’ Ten Hag sack decision and Arteta would ‘100 per cent’ replace him

Gary Neville believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already made a decision on the future of Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.

Defeat to Fulham on Saturday means United are eight points adrift of Aston Villa in fourth and the last assured Champions League qualification place.

Jamie Carragher analysed United’s woeful defence on Monday Night Football, claiming Ten Hag’s tactics are “impossible” to carry out for the players, before Neville explained that he believes the new minority shareholders have already made a decision as to whether the manager will be in charge next season.

Neville said: “If you look at the guy who’s come in from City [Berrada] as CEO and then obviously they’re looking to get Dan Ashworth in from Newcastle. They’re going to make a decision [on Ten Hag] quite quickly, if they’ve not already.

“I suspect that [Sir] Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsford already know whether they’re going to keep Erik ten Hag as manager next season. I can’t believe they’re going to wait until May to make that decision and then leave themselves short.

“Where Manchester United have been found out in the last ten years in recruitment, on and off the pitch, is making poor decisions, late decisions, not being ahead of the game.

“I don’t think they’re going to do that. For me, I suspect that they’ve come to a conclusion already. It may even be whether it’s Champions League [qualification] or not, they still will stick with that decision.”

Could that decision be to replace Ten Hag with Mikel Arteta? Rio Ferdinand reckons the Spaniard would leave Arsenal at the drop of a hat to manage United.

Speaking on his FIVE Youtube channel, Ferdinand claimed: “Arteta would leave Arsenal to join Man United, 100 per cent.

“No one is saying it’s happening but if Man United in a wild dream said, ‘do you know what, Erik ten Hag, thank you’ or Erik ten Hag has been poached by Bayern Munich, and he goes there, and then Man United say top of the list is Arteta.

“Arteta is going in and saying to the lads, ‘listen guys, it’s been emotional but I’ve got to move, I’ve got to go’.”

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