Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly named the most likely successor to Erik ten Hag during Manchester United’s recent board meeting in London.
Manchester United find themselves in 14th place in the Premier League, with recent results fuelling growing calls for Erik ten Hag’s sacking as manager.
Of their last six matches, United have secured just two wins—a 7-0 rout of League One side Barnsley and a 3-0 victory over Southampton, a game that could have taken a different turn had André Onana not saved a crucial penalty.
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Draws against FC Twente and FC Porto, combined with heavy 3-0 defeats at home to Liverpool and Tottenham, have deepened concerns over Ten Hag’s suitability to lead the club. However, a recent draw with Aston Villa has eased the pressure on him slightly.
On Tuesday, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe met with United’s executive board in Knightsbridge, London, to discuss the club’s future.
The gathering was part of a regularly scheduled routine involving key figures like CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, co-owner Ratcliffe, and Joel Glazer. The group spent six hours in discussions about the club’s direction.
While club sources have emphasized that the meeting was arranged well before Erik ten Hag’s recent struggles as manager, many have speculated that it could play a pivotal role in determining his future at Old Trafford.
According to The Independent, although Ten Hag’s future was not wholly decided in the meeting, Ratcliffe requested that those in the meeting put together multiple cases for the future of the club regarding whether Ten Hag either is or isn’t fired.
According to the report, Ratcliffe spoke of German coach Thomas Tuchel as the “most likely” man to take over from Ten Hag on a permanent basis should the club choose to fire the Dutch manager.
However, it is also made clear that there has been no contact between United and Tuchel, which backs up previous claims made earlier this week.
As of now, Ten Hag is thought to be preparing for his side’s upcoming fixture against Brentford as normal, with the club sitting 14th in the Premier League table and in need of a string of wins to climb back to the top-four spots.
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