Manchester United are reportedly ‘very close’ to hiring Erik ten Hag as their new manager according to media reports in Europe.
The Ajax boss has been the favourite with the bookmakers to take the Old Trafford hot-seat for a number of months, despite the club also having other managers on their radar, and the move is edging closer as the Red Devils look to become a force in the game once again.
During the recent international break, United interviewed a number of high-profile managerial candidates but Sky Sport’s Angelo Mangiante has said Ten Hag is “very close” to being named as the next United boss - though he does want a final answer from the club as soon as possible.
The 52-year-old appears to be a popular call with the supporters and as the Dutchman is out of contract at Ajax next season, he is likely to command a significantly lower compensation fee than a move for Mauricio Pochettino would require.
Pochettino has been admired by the United hierarchy for a considerable amount of time but the mood music around the club suggests that that ship may have sailed.
The Argentine was in the frame for the top job in 2016 before Jose Mourinho came to the club, and was widely believed to be favourite to assume the role in December 2018 – only for the club to hire Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on an interim (and ultimately, permanent) basis.
Former captain Rio Ferdinand has confessed to be a fan of ten Hag but would equally be happy if Pochettino were to be the choice of the club.
“Ten Hag, the way his team plays, if you could replicate that at Man United, now we are talking,” he said.
“His recruitment is unbelievable there, he has a conveyor belt of talent that comes through that feeds the first team.
“He deals with rough jewels, people like [Sebastien] Haller, disregarded in England, [Dusan] Tadic, smashing it.”
“A club of the size of Man United with the egos and personalities in that changing room, its very different going to Ajax in that dressing room to this dressing room.”
With Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard out of contract this summer – and some doubt about whether Ronaldo willstay at the club - the next incumbent will face an immediate requirement to rebuild the squad but will have the freedom of losing a number of the big earners off the wage bill.
Reports in Italy suggest that the club have expressed an interest in signing Sergej Milinkovic Savic as a replacement for Pogba.
The Serbian midfielder has been on the shopping list at Old Trafford for a number of years though it is believed that Lazio and United differ massively as to their respective valuations of the 27-year-old.
