Next Man Utd manager options as Potter meeting sparks Ten Hag sack talk
Erik ten Hag is under huge pressure, with his future as Manchester United manager hanging in the balance ahead of Sunday's daunting trip to Liverpool.
United crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday night in meek fashion, losing 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich - a result which saw them finish bottom of Group A to exit European football altogether, adding further insult to injury. Speaking of injury, Ten Hag has had to contend with a severely weakened squad this season, and faces the prospect of visiting Anfield with over 10 first-teamers out.
Last weekend's shock 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth left United sixth in the Premier League table, six points off Man City in fourth, and defeat on Merseyside would widen the gap further. Should United lose to a Jurgen Klopp side sitting top of the table, then the pressure will only increase on United to sack Ten Hag - though it remains to be seen whether there is any real appetite for change with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's partial takeover at a delicate stage.
Ineos chief Ratcliffe is set to assume full control of sporting operations at Old Trafford, with his £1.25billion deal for a 25 percent stake in the club set to be ratified imminently. While Ten Hag was initially thought to be safe under Ratcliffe, it appears the billionaire may have other plans following a 'secret meeting' with Graham Potter. So, who could be next in the Old Trafford hotseat?
Who should be the next Man Utd manager?
The Sun has reported that Ratcliffe has held a secret meeting with former Chelsea and Brighton manager Potter, who he previouslyc tried to tempt to OGC Nice, the French club he also owns. With Potter thought to be held in high regard by Ratcliffe, another result at Anfield like the 7-0 humiliation last season could make a changing of the guard the first order of business in a new era at Old Trafford - but what about the other options?
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Sacking Ten Hag and his backroom staff is thought to be priced at over £15million in compensation - a figure that would bite given United are sailing close to financial fair play (FFP) limits, also denting a limited January transfer budget. Not only that, but compensating a rival club for poaching their manager and staff would also run into the millions - a costly decision with no guarantees of success.
With money a key issue right now, the likes of Potter, Zinedine Zidane, Julen Lopetegui and AntonioConte are all unattached. Roberto De Zerbi has worked wonders with Brighton, and though the Seagulls would be loathe to lose another manager to a top six club, he would not cost the earth - but does he have enough experience for Ratcliffe?
Graham Potter is hugely admired by Sir Jim Ratcliffe (AFP via Getty Images)Looking at previous United players, not many options stand out. Michael Carrick has already been in the Old Trafford hotseat as a caretaker in 2021, but taking on the United job right now could be a poisoned chalice - and ruin the good work his is doing at Middlesbrough. As for international options, and Julian Nagelsmann have both been linked with United in the past, though tempting them from the England or Germany jobs respectively before Euro 2024 seems a tall order.
There is an argument to be made for keeping Ten Hag: given the inadequacy of the sporting figures above him, the chaos of the takeover saga, and multiple injury crises, it remains to be seen whether another manager could feasibly improve this United squad - but if you think somebody could, then vote in our poll above.
Once you have voted, join the debate in the comments section below and tell us where United are going wrong.
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