Man Utd sacking Ten Hag? Ratcliffe axe update surfaces as ‘interviewed’ manager ‘remains of interest’

According to reports, Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag ‘could still’ be sacked following Tuesday’s meeting involving key club executives.

Ten Hag is under immense pressure following Man Utd’s miserable start to the 2024/25 campaign as the Dutchman is the favourite to be the first Premier League manager sacked this season.

The Red Devils have only won two of their opening seven Premier League games, while they have drawn their first two Europa League group games.

The Dutch head coach was fortunate to keep his job at the end of last season as Man Utd struggled en route to finishing eighth in the Premier League.

Man Utd held talks with several potential replacements at the end of the campaign, but Ten Hag kept his job and signed a new one-year contract after helping his side win the FA Cup.

The optimism at Man Utd was raised in the summer as they appeared to do some positive transfer business, but their new signings are yet to make an impact as their woes are continuing under new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe and several other key executives met in London on Tuesday morning and Man Utd’s start to the season under Ten Hag was on the agenda.

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A report from The Guardian claims ‘mo clarity has been offered regarding Ten Hag’s future at United following the meeting’, but his ‘position as manager was discussed’.

It is noted that Man Utd ‘could still decide to remove Ten Hag in the coming days’.

‘As a regular gathering of the committee, no communication would normally be issued afterwards unless a major decision had been taken.

‘After the meeting’s conclusion, staff at the club had no indication that this had occurred. Yet the Ratcliffe-controlled football department, which is led by Ashworth, could still take the decision to remove Ten Hag in the coming days.’

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Regarding a possible replacement, it’s claimed assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy is an ‘option’ to take over on an interim basis, while ‘interest remains’ in a manager ‘interviewed’ in the summer.

‘If Ten Hag is sacked, the Guardian understands his assistant, Ruud van Nistelrooy, is a potential option as caretaker manager should time be needed to appoint a permanent replacement.

‘During the summer, Thomas Tuchel was interviewed by Wilcox in Monaco regarding potentially replacing Ten Hag. The German remains of interest should a change be deemed necessary.’

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has explained why he “has sympathy” for Ten Hag.

“I think it’ll be tough for him but I have sympathy for him because I think he’s been hung out to dry a little bit on the back of what happened in the summer with the ownership speaking to other managers,” Carragher said.

“No manager, or anyone in employment, would want his bosses publicly speaking to lots of different people within the game so it’s going to be a tough one to see out the season.”