20 February 2024 , 00:00
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MLS club Minnesota United are pursuing Manchester United assistant coach Eric Ramsay to become their next manager. If appointed, he would become the youngest manager in league history.
According to The Athletic, both Minnesota and Manchester United are negotiating the terms of Ramsay's potential move, as he is currently under contract with the Red Devils. Ramsay is a highly sought-after manager globally and is just 32 years old.
Minnesota United reportedly conducted an extensive coaching search, considering candidates from both domestic and international backgrounds. This search followed the departure of Adrian Heath at the end of the previous season, marking the end of his tenure as the only coach in the club's seven-year MLS history.
Sporting director Khaled El-Ahmad assumed the top executive role during the winter but faced a delayed arrival due to prior commitments with Barnsley, contributing to the postponement in announcing a new head coach. Interim coach Cameron Knowles will handle the team until Ramsay's expected arrival.
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Minnesota United will kick off their eighth MLS regular season on Saturday against Austin FC. Last season, they marked their fifth consecutive year failing to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Following Adrian Heath's departure, the club also dismissed Technical Director Mark Watson. This decision came after the team finished No. 21 out of 29 overall and No. 11 in the Western Conference. Ramsay has coaching experience beyond his role at Manchester United. He was an assistant coach for the Wales national team for six months before stepping away last fall.
After his appointment, Wales manager Rob Page praised Ramsay as "arguably one of the best young coaches in football at this moment in time." Before his time in Wales, Ramsay was an Under-23 assistant coach at Chelsea.
Minnesota United finished near the bottom of the MLS table last season (Getty Images)The exit of Ramsay at United would signify a major loss for head coach, Erik ten Hag, who currently relies on Ramsay as one of his top assistants. When Ten Hag transitioned from Ajax to Manchester, he assembled his coaching staff. However, he opted to retain the services of Ramsay, originally appointed by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Manchester United are in sixth place in the Premier League table with 44 points and on a four-game winning run. In their most recent match, the club secured a 2-1 victory over Luton Town, with young striker Rasmus Hojlund scoring both goals.
Despite this success, Ten Hag has expressed frustration over budget restrictions that hindered the team's progress following last year's third-place finish. These restrictions were imposed as part of United's efforts to balance their financial books.
"When we were in the summer, I think we had very good momentum. We had finished third, we won one final, and were in another final," said the manager. "Then we chose to bring in young players for the future - and that had to do with FFP."
"That was the choice we made," he continued. "But you then know it will take longer before you can come into the competition for the top positions in the Premier League or Champions League."