Erik ten Hag on three-man shortlist for new club, Manchester United and INEOS will have mixed feelings

Erik ten Hag is on a three-man shortlist to become the next manager of Eredivisie club Ajax, according to reports from the Netherlands.

Erik ten Hag‘s future at Manchester United is currently in deep discussion both at and surrounding the club, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s INEOS group currently assessing their options.

United have endured a poor second season under the Dutch manager. Earlier in the campaign, they were knocked out of the Champions League and Carabao Cup while sitting sixth in the Premier League table. The FA Cup final against Manchester City is their only route left for glory.

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With Ten Hag’s future under threat, there have, of course, been many talks surrounding where the Dutchman could go, and one possibility is his return to Ajax following the conclusion of 2023/24.

According to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, Erik ten Hag is one name on a three-man shortlist to become the next manager of Ajax this summer.

The other two names are former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter and current OGC Nice manager Francesco Farioli.

INEOS’ mixed feelings

INEOS will no doubt have mixed feelings surrounding this three-man shortlist as it affects them in multiple ways.

On the one hand, Ajax’s interest in Ten Hag may make it more tempting for him to leave United in the summer should INEOS wish to part ways, as it would allow for a smoother transition from the current manager to the next.

However, the other two names on the list, Potter and Farioli, are also closely linked with INEOS.

Potter has been significantly linked with the United job due to his close relationship with Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Should United keep Ten Hag for the season and Potter goes to Ajax, that would likely mean that if Ten Hag were to be sacked in the next year, one of INEOS’ key targets would no longer be available.

However, if Ajax were to choose Farioli, they would be taking the Italian from INEOS’ other high-profile club in Nice—meaning they would have to dedicate further resources to finding the Ligue 1 side a new manager, too.