Football director John Murtough says Manchester United are conducting a 'thorough process' to identify their next permanent manager.
The Manchester Evening News reported in January United intend to appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's full-time replacement before the end of the season. Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag of Ajax are the frontrunners.
"We are now conducting a thorough process for the appointment of a new permanent manager who will take charge this summer, with the objective to get us back to challenging for those domestic and European titles," Murtough is scheduled to say on the club's investors' call for the second quarter at lunchtime.
READ MORE: Fletcher clarifies role and defends Eric Ramsay
United were ejected from the Carabao Cup in the third round, the FA Cup in the fourth round and trail Premier League leaders Manchester City by a gargantuan 19 points. Realistically, a fourth-place finish is the best-case scenario for United, who started the season as budding title challengers.
Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked on November 21, United have lost only once in the league but have won eight of their 17 games under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. United claimed a 1-1 draw in the Champions League round-of-16 first leg against Atletico Madrid last week and the return leg is in two weeks' time.
If United end the season trophyless, it will mark the most unsuccessful period in the club's history since the nine-year trophy drought between the European Cup in 1968 and the FA Cup in 1977, a spell where the club was relegated in 1974. Another summer of upheaval is expected, with several players out of contract and a number of other players open to leaving permanently.
Murtough also trumpeted the appointment of Dominic Jordan as director of data science "to bring together and drive forward the club’s use of data to help players and staff deliver success on the pitch".
"Overall, while there is potential for further improvement and progress, we do feel that we now have the right structures in place across our men’s, women’s and academy teams to support long-term success and we will continue working relentlessly and investing to achieve that.”
Sign up to Samuel Luckhurst's newsletter to get the inside track on United
