06 March 2024 , 18:49
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England manager Gareth Southgate is on Manchester United's shortlist to replace Erik ten Hag - as well as Brentford boss Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi.
New United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is mulling over deciding to sack Ten Hag in time for next season, with several Red Devils players now expecting him to be given the chop as their wretched season wears on. Ratcliffe and his INEOS colleagues, who officially became part of United's footballing hierarchy last month after the British billionaire purchased a 27.7 per cent stake in the club, are currently assessing a range of candidates, including the aforementioned trio.
Brighton boss De Zerbi has earned plaudits for his stellar work on the south coast since September 2022, guiding the Seagulls into the Europa League for the first time in their history. The Italian coach isn't short of interest, though, as Barcelona and Liverpool are also being linked. There's a reported £12million release clause in his Brighton contract, too.
Southgate, meanwhile, is set to take charge of his final tournament as England manager this summer, due to his contract with the FA expiring in December. The 53-year-old has a long-standing relationship with ex-FA chief Dan Ashworth, who Ratcliffe and co hope to make United's new sporting director after Newcastle begrudgingly put him on gardening leave.
But Frank's name is the most surprising, as according to ESPN, the Dane's success in building a high-energy team at Brentford while embracing their href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/premier-league">Premier League relegation zone and on a miserable run of one win in seven games.
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Ten Hag could, however, salvage his career at United by leading the Red Devils to a successful end to what's been a significantly below-par campaign. United still have the chance to finish in the Champions League spots and win the FA Cup, which would make it two trophies in two seasons for Ten Hag.
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Gareth Southgate's contract as England manager expires in December (Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
Brentford's Thomas Frank is also being assessed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS (Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)Ratcliffe has refused to comment specifically on the Dutchman's future since completing his partial takeover. Nevertheless, the INEOS chairman has offered Ten Hag hope that he'll given time to prove himself under a new regime.
"What I would say in respect of the coach, in the last 11 years Man Utd has had a lot of coaches and nobody has been very successful in that environment," Ratcliffe told BBC Sport. "That says to me there is something wrong with the environment."
When asked following those comments if he needed the United chief's public backing, Ten Hag replied: "I'm under contract for three seasons, so I don't care. I am in this process, I'm only focusing on the process, so I don't care what's going on around me.
"I have many talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, also with Sir Dave Brailsford and others in that group, so I know where we are talking about and I have a strong belief and I feel that they believe in me."