Erik ten Hag 'timeline' emerges as Man Utd loan star makes transfer wish clear
A look at the latest Manchester United headlines as Erik ten Hag awaits a decision over his future.
Manchester United’s preparations for next season will already be underway, although any planning will be tentative given the uncertainty surrounding Erik ten Hag. While United salvaged European football through the FA Cup, the trophy does not mask the disappointing season that preceded it, with the Red Devils having finished as low as eighth in the Premier League.
That clear regression means there is a decision to make over Ten Hag, and it seems the club will take their time in making that decision. In the meantime, we have rounded up all the latest news surrounding Old Trafford.
Ten Hag ‘latest’
With Ten Hag’s future clearly up for debate, fans have been left waiting without any kind of timeline, but ESPN reporter Mark Ogden believes the decision has already been made and that the formalities will take place ‘this week’.
Speaking on the Back Pages podcast, Ogden said: “Yeah, Erik ten Hag has known, probably since February, that his position was on the line. INEOS and Manchester United haven’t really distanced themselves from the stories that many of us have written, saying they’ve been assessing other candidates.
“Gareth Southgate, Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna, Mauricio Pochettino – all these names have been put to United and they’ve not really been knocked back. So there’s been a process going on to to identify whether there’s a manager out there who can do a better job than ten Hag. Now I think that process will probably be resolved at some point this week.”
Amrabat on future
United loan star Sofyan Amrabat has said he is open to a full-time stay, although he knows there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding his future. “Do I already know what I’m going to do next year? No,” he told Ziggo Sport. “We are going to talk. Staying is certainly an option. Look, I think it has been a very difficult season. For Manchester United it needs to be much better, and also for me personally.
“We are going to talk. Manchester United are the biggest club in the world, so who wouldn’t want to play football here? But all parties have to be happy with each other, so we will sit down now and see what happens.”
Mainoo praise
Alan Shearer believes Kobbie Mainoo will be the key United need to be able to compete with teams like Manchester City going forward. He said on The Rest is Football podcast: “When you consider he’s up against someone who we consider the best in the world, Rodri; Kevin De Bruyne, one of the best in the world; Foden, one of the best in the world; Kovacic, his experience is like incredible. So he’s up against all of these players in the middle of midfield, and yet, he’s the one that shines as a 19-year-old.”
The Match of the Day pundit added: “As important as his goal was, as important as his passing was, as important as his tackling was, one of the most important things for me was when he went body-to-body with Erling Haaland from a corner, I think it was, and he stood his ground, and he was strong as and he didn’t allow Haaland (to win the ball).”