Manchester United have reportedly ended over a month of speculation regarding Erik ten Hag's future as manager of the club after opting to keep the Dutchman in his position.
Rumours swirled prior to the Red Devils' success in the FA Cup final, having just recorded their worst-ever Premier League finished in eighth, with meetings reportedly taking place with prospective managers before confirming ten Hag as their choice.
So how did the Old Trafford hierarchy come to their decision, and how close was the Dutchman to losing his job?
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According to the Athletic, Ten Hag's future was sealed in a series of meetings across Europe over the past month.
In a drawn-out performance review, a team of Jason Wilcox, Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc offered the incoming regime a real chance to make their mark on the club as they embark on a cultural reset.
The review is beleived to have taken into account ten Hag's reign so far, including the context behind this season's dismal showing, as well as discussions with other managers - namely Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi.
The Athletic's report claims that the decision to keep ten Hag in his position signifies a complete U-turn in opinions to those held in the middle of May as United rounded off their Premier League campaign.
It is claimed that despite his underperformance in the Premier League and Champions League, ten Hag's early track record of developing young players, namely Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, as well as winning two trophies ultimately kept Erik ten Hag in a job, albeit under different circumstances.
A largely unsuccessful time in the transfer market has seen power stripped from the Dutchman, with the new recruitment team overseeing arrivals and departures, while key discussions surrounding staff and other in-house matters are expected to exclude ten Hag altogether.
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