Erik Ten Hag's stunning defensive record at Ajax could edge him into pole position to pip Ralf Rangnick and Mauricio Pochettino to the Manchester United job in the summer
The trio are reportedly the three names in the frame to become United's permanent successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the end of the season.
While Rangnick has struggled to get a tune out of United's squad since he was installed on an interim basis, Ten Hag is flying high at the top of the charts with Ajax.
And the case to plump for Ten Hag in the summer seems to be growing on a weekly basis given Rangnick's modest impact at United.
Meanwhile, Ajax are currently sitting pretty at the top of the Eredivisie as they bid to clinch their fourth consecutive league title.
And they moved a step closer to doing that by clinching a huge 2-1 win away at title rivals PSV Eindhoven on Sunday - with PSV's goal only the fifth that Ten Hag's side have shipped in 20 league games so far this season.
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Read more: Rangnick's role change for Cristiano Ronaldo left West Ham analyst reeling
Although that is a particularly impressive feat, it's one that only highlights United's horrific defensive frailties.
United have conceded a staggering 30 goals already this season from just 22 games. In the top half of the Premier League, only West Ham (31) and Leicester (37) have shipped more goals than United's sorry tally.
Given Ajax's stunning defensive record, and United's abject one, it feels almost inconceivable that the appointment of Ten Hag would almost automatically boost United's prospect of shoring up their leaky backline.
Alarmingly, United have one of the most expensively assembled defences in the entire Premier League.
The Red Devils made Harry Maguire the most expensive defender in the world back in 2019 when paid Leicester the handsome sum of £80million to lure the England ace to Old Trafford.
United also shelled out £50m on first-choice right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka while on the other flank, Luke Shaw cost £27m when joined the club from Southampton back in 2014.
The club even splashed out another £34m to bring World Cup-winner Raphael Varane to Manchester in the summer.
But the Frenchman hasn't improved United's fortunes at the back.
And United's inability to shut teams out is likely to seriously hamper Rangnick's chances of landing the top job at Old Trafford on a full-time basis.
The Mirror exclusively revealed last month that Ten Hag had jumped to the top of United's managerial shortlist after turning a bunch of Premier League misfits into European world-beaters at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The Dutchman has been pursued by Premier League clubs already this season and has turned down both Tottenham and Newcastle in recent months.
But he has admitted that he is open to coaching abroad - opening the door for United to swoop for his services in the summer.
He told de Volkskrant back in December: "I think I'm ready for it [to move to a top foreign club]. I would be happy to take up that challenge.
"But I'm not chasing it. If it turns out that that step will never come, I will not say that my coaching career has failed. But I think I have sufficient competences to take on that challenge."
