Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear to his colleagues that he wants to see Erik ten Hag relieved of his managerial duties, TEAMtalk can reveal.
The Red Devils have had a dismal start to the season and currently sit 14th in the Premier League table and huge pressure is mounting on the Dutchman.
Many stories regarding Ten Hag’s future are doing the rounds and with the club’s executive committee meeting in London on Tuesday, TEAMtalk can give an exclusive insight into the thought process of the Manchester United hierarchy.
And we understand that Ratcliffe has made it clear that he wants change to happen and sources say that potential replacements for Ten Hag are already being assessed.
The British billionaire was ready to replace Ten Hag before the start of the season but ultimately handed him a one-year contract extension after they were unable to agree a deal with a suitable replacement.
Just like in the summer, Ratcliffe is willing to wait to find the right man to replace Ten Hag and has handed control of the situation over to Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada. They are looking at all options with two names coming up as the favourites so far.
Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter are the two candidates being closely looked at by Man Utd and talks with the duo are expected in the near future.
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Man Utd target two former Chelsea managers – sources
Tuchel spoke with Man Utd over the summer but didn’t feel the timing was right for him to take the job. However, the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss is open to another conversation and feels ready to return to management.
Tuchel led Chelsea to winning the Champions League in 2020/21 before being controversially sacked by the Blues in the following season.
The German coach is regarded as the most high profile candidate on Man Utd’s manager shortlist, is admired by the board and will be spoken to again about taking the reigns.
Potter is also very highly thought of at Man Utd and seen as a manager who can grow with the club and bring the best out of some of the talent coming through the ranks at Old Trafford.
TEAMtalk sources have stated he is very open to the opportunity to becoming the new Man Utd manager. He was sacked by Chelsea after less than seven months in charge but that hasn’t put the Red Devils off.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has also been discussed behind the scenes at Man Utd. However, the cost and difficult;y of getting him out of his contract at St James’ Park is seen as a stumbling block.
Man Utd have experience in dealing with Newcastle after they brought in Dan Ashworth during the summer, for whom the Magpies demanded a sizeable compensation fee.
All the signs point towards Ten Hag being replaced and the suggestions are that it is only a matter of time before he leaves Man Utd, with the club’s hierarchy preparing to part ways with the Dutchman.
Zirkzee could make shock Italy return – report
Meanwhile, some of Man Utd’s players are facing ramifications for the team’s woeful start to the season, with the future of summer signing Joshua Zirkzee reportedly in doubt.
It’s claimed that the striker, who has scored just one goal in 10 appearances for the Red Devils, could follow in the footsteps of Romelu Lukaku by leaving a Premier League club early and returning to Italy. Lukaku played for Man Utd between 2017 and 2019, while he spent just one season back at Chelsea before returning to Inter Milan on loan in the 2022-23 season.
There is supposedly the possibility of an early ‘separation’ between Man Utd and Zirkzee as the Netherlands striker has struggled to find his feet since his £36.5m move from Atalanta to Old Trafford.
As for Ten Hag, a recent report claimed that he is confident he will avoid the sack for now, with Ten Hag jetting off on holiday to recharge his batteries over the international break.
This tallies with what we have been told in that Man Utd aren’t planning for an imminent change, but the reality is that Ten Hag almost certainly won’t see out the season.
IN FOCUS: Thomas Tuchel vs Graham Potter
Tuchel was appointed as Chelsea manager in January 2021 and went on to win the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup at Stamford Bridge.
He took charge of exactly 100 games for Chelsea in all competitions and had a 63 percent win rate. The Blues drew 19 of those 100 games, and he was on the losing side on 18 occasions.
His side also scored 1.97 goals per game during his tenure and they conceded 1.05 goals per game.
In the Premier League, Tuchel picked up 122 points out of a possible 189 to average 1.94 points per league game.
Potter replaced Tuchel in the Chelsea dugout in September 2022 but failed to replicate his predecessor’s success.
The 49-year-old was in charge for just 31 games in all competitions before being sacked by the club in April 2023.
He won 12, drew eight and lost 11 of those games, leaving him with a win rate of 38.7 percent and a loss rate of 35.4 percent.
Chelsea scored just 33 goals with Potter at a rate of 1.06 goals per game but they did have a slightly better defensive record, conceding just one goal per game.
His Premier League results at Chelsea saw him pick up 28 points from a possible 66 to average 1.27 points per league game.
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