Brentford manager Thomas Frank has refused to shut down speculation that he might join Premier League rivals Manchester United and replace Erik ten Hag.
Dutch coach Ten Hag has avoided the sack during the international break, with Man Utd chiefs Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada deciding to stick with the 54-year-old despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recommendation that he be axed. While Ten Hag remains in charge, the Man Utd hierarchy could pull the trigger if the team picks up yet more disappointing results against the likes of Brentford, Fenerbahce and West Ham United in the coming weeks.
Thomas Tuchel was Ratcliffe’s No 1 target, in the event that Ten Hag was sacked, but the German has since agreed to become the new England boss from January 1.
Ahead of his side’s trip to Old Trafford on Saturday, which could pile yet more pressure on Ten Hag, Frank was asked to clarify his future.
While the 51-year-old is enjoying his time at Brentford, he did not end the Man Utd links.
“I’ve said many times I’m very happy at Brentford,” Frank told talkSPORT.
“Who knows what will happen in the future. Maybe I stay here for many years. I’m open, maybe something happens.
“But first and foremost, very happy, just working very hard every day to make the club better.”
Frank added: “It’s very difficult to predict the future. Who knows what will happen.
“How many coaches have been at the same club more than six years? Very few. [It’s] the nature of the game, let’s put it that way.”
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Thomas Frank on Man Utd shortlist
Frank is a contender for the Man Utd role, though he is not at the top of the pile as things stand. Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe and former Chelsea head coach Graham Potter are both being looked at, with INEOS keen to appoint a British manager for Man Utd next.
Howe will be the harder out of those two to appoint, as Newcastle have shown with Ashworth that they will not let their key staff leave without a fight.
Potter is a free agent, though it remains to be seen if he has enough credit left in the bank after struggling at Chelsea.
Frank, meanwhile, has done a fantastic job at Brentford, having helped the Bees gain promotion to the Premier League for the very first time. They have since established themselves as top-flight regulars and finished as high as ninth in the 2022-23 campaign.
Although, Man Utd fans might want a more glamorous name in charge, should Ten Hag depart. Zinedine Zidane is one name that has been mentioned, with it being claimed that private talks are underway between him and Man Utd director Jean-Claude Blanc.
However, it will be tough to convince Zidane to manage in the Premier League for the very first time.
READ MORE: Ranking every player Erik ten Hag has signed for Man Utd from worst to best
Man Utd transfers: New Antony price, Real Madrid battles
Meanwhile, Man Utd have reportedly given flop signing Antony a new price tag as they look to move him on.
The Brazilian has previously been valued as low as £25m, but the Daily Mail state that Man Utd’s asking price is actually £40m.
The Red Devils are aware that no club will want to pay that in January though. As such, they hope to loan out Antony this winter before selling him at the end of the campaign.
While Antony looks set to be pushed out of Man Utd, club chiefs want to bring in a new left-back who can be more reliable than injured pair Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
Man Utd have been credited with interest in both Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and their former player Alvaro Fernandez Carreras, who joined Benfica permanently during the summer.
But as per reports in Germany, Man Utd know that it will be tough to get Davies to reject Real Madrid’s advances and join them instead.
Man Utd have a buy-back clause when it comes to Fernandez, though the Spaniard would rather return to his home country by signing for Madrid.
Ratcliffe and co. beat Madrid to Leny Yoro in the summer, but Los Blancos could get their revenge by landing both Davies and Fernandez in 2025.
Brentford’s biggest signings for Thomas Frank
The scale of the Man Utd job would be bigger than anything Frank has been at the helm of before, as seen by a comparison of Brentford’s top 10 most expensive signings during his reign.
The club have not been afraid to back Frank, especially when equipping his squad for Premier League stability, frequently breaking their transfer record over the past six years.
But Brentford’s biggest signing would not get in Man Utd’s top 15 in the same timeframe as Frank has been in charge, showing the difference in environment he would have to adapt to.
That said, a lot of United’s big-money signings have flopped, whereas Brentford have been building up a sustainable project.
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