Ten Hag sack: Liverpool legend teases Man Utd change with huge Ratcliffe decision ‘already’ made
Liverpool legend Graeme Souness is convinced that new Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has “already” decided to sack Erik ten Hag in the summer.
Ten Hag enjoyed a fine first campaign at Old Trafford, winning the Carabao Cup and securing qualification for the Champions League, but has endured a difficult second season.
Man Utd finished bottom of their Champions League group having lost four of their six matches and the club’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s competition are hanging by a thread with Ten Hag’s side trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by nine points with 10 Premier League games remaining.
READ MORE: Official: Ten Hag has the best win percentage of any Man Utd manager
Ratcliffe’s deal to acquire 27.7 per cent in Man Utd was completed last month, with the INEOS founder assuming control of all football operations within Old Trafford.
The 71-year-old has already made his presence felt inside the club, appointing Omar Berrada as the club’s new chief executive in a major coup from local rivals Manchester City.
Man Utd have also made a move for Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth, who was recently placed on gardening leave by the Magpies after signalling his intention to leave.
Souness believes the changes will not stop there, teasing that the new regime at Man Utd have already decided to dispense with Ten Hag at the end of the season.
And following reports that Ratcliffe is keen to reduce Ten Hag’s influence on player recruitment after a series of questionable signings, Souness fears the manager’s poor record in the transfer market will leave him vulnerable to a change in the dugout.
Appearing on talkSPORT, Souness said: “I think they will have made their mind up already that he there’ll be a change at Man United.
“There’ll be a new coach in place next year, unless they go on the most amazing run and find themselves in the top four.
“But I come back to it, that group of players. With average players, you get up and down performances. They’ve got away with it.
“His argument will be, ‘We’ve had lots of injuries’ – but every manager can point to injuries over a season.
“I think what will cause him difficulty – or danger – with the people now making the decisions will be that the players he’s brought in.
“The spin he’s trying to put on their performances, they will see through that. ”
Souness’s fellow pundit, the former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan, reiterated his view that Ten Hag lacks “the chops” to manage a club of Man Utd’s stature – but suspects Ratcliffe will still persevere with the Dutchman into next season.
Asked if Man Utd will stick with Ten Hag: “I honestly don’t know. And it’s not me sitting on the fence.
“I think a lot depends on how he runs his season out and what I think he represents.
“For me sitting remotely, no. I’ve started from the outset believing that Ten Hag doesn’t have the chops for this job.
“But that’s also laced with the idea that when you ask me: ‘Who does then?’ Not sure.
“My gut feel says no, I wouldn’t [keep Ten Hag]. But my gut feel is they will for a period of time.”
Souness and Jordan’s remarks come after Paul Robinson, the former Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, also claimed to have received information that Ten Hag will be sacked at the end of the season.
He said: “From what I hear, Ten Hag will be sacked by Man United.
“He has bought himself time by eking out wins since the turn of the year, but you can’t see United being in the Champions League next season and that is unacceptable for a United manager.
“There is still no defined style of play, the only style is to stay in matches and be hard to beat. After two seasons in charge, that is not enough.
“The new regime hasn’t made hasty decisions and look like they will give Ten Hag until the end of the season, but he won’t be there next season.”
READ MORE: Gareth Southgate now second favourite for Man Utd job if Ten Hag sacked
