Manchester United have not had the best of starts to the new Premier League season under Erik ten Hag, despite the Dutchman being backed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS in the transfer market.
Following early defeats to Brighton and Liverpool, pressure has been mounting on the manager, who signed a new deal over the summer.
Should those in charge at Old Trafford decide to part ways with Ten Hag over the coming weeks or months, who could come in to replace the 54-year-old? Here are 10 candidates who have been mooted with assuming the Red Devils hot seat.
Next Man Utd manager odds (Sky Bet – selected markets) | ||
|---|---|---|
Manager | Current team | Odds |
Gareth Southgate | n/a | 2/1 fav |
Ruud van Nistelrooy | Man Utd (assistant) | 11/4 |
Thomas Tuchel | n/a | 7/2 |
Kieran McKenna | Ipswich | 7/1 |
Roberto De Zerbi | Marseille | 14/1 |
Thomas Frank | Brentford | 16/1 |
Julian Nagelsmann | Germany | 20/1 |
Mauricio Pochettino | USA | 20/1 |
Graham Potter | n/a | 25/1 |
Marco Silva | Fulham | 33/1 |
Odds correct as of 13th September 2024 | ||
1
Gareth Southgate
Free agent (last job: England)
Gareth Southgate has been linked with the Man Utd vacancy for months, and with his time as England manager now up after leaving the Three Lions following the European Championship, now could be the time for him to move to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils once poached Louis van Gaal from the Netherlands after a successful World Cup campaign, and with Southgate taking England to the EURO 2024 final, a return to club football at Old Trafford could soon be on the cards.
2
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Man Utd (assistant)
Second on the list is Ruud van Nistelrooy, who only returned to Old Trafford over the summer to become Ten Hag’s assistant manager. He has previous experience as a manager with PSV Eindhoven.
Ten Hag is hoping Van Nistelrooy would bring along some “DNA of Manchester United” after returning to the club following a successful spell as a player, but if things get worse, perhaps those at Old Trafford may view the former striker as a managerial solution.
3
Thomas Tuchel
Free agent (last job: Bayern Munich)
Thomas Tuchel was another heavily linked with replacing Ten Hag over the summer, and there were even conversations over a move before the Red Devils ultimately decided to stick with the Dutchman.
The former Chelsea boss is still out of work after departing Bayern Munich, so he will surely be a name under consideration once more if Ratcliffe and co decide to make a change.
4
Kieran McKenna
Ipswich Town
Former Man Utd U18 manager Kieran McKenna was linked with a number of top clubs over the summer, including a return to the Red Devils, but he decided to stay put at Ipswich Town after taking them from League One to the Premier League.
He committed his future to the Tractor Boys by signing a new four-year deal at the end of May, but it wouldn’t come as a shock if his name was mentioned between now and 2028 when it comes to the Old Trafford hot seat.
5
Roberto De Zerbi
Marseille
Former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi surprised many when he decided to take his next job with Marseille in France. However, he’s still seen as one of the top five candidates to come in as the next Man Utd manager.
The Italian impressed by taking the Seagulls into Europe, and his ability to get the most out of his players and punch above his weight would make him an appealing proposition for many clubs. For now, though, his focus is firmly on his new Ligue 1 outfit.
Man Utd managers since Sir Alex Ferguson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Manager | Tenure | Win% | Trophies |
David Moyes | 2013-2014 | 52.9% | 0 |
Ryan Giggs (caretaker) | 2014 | 50% | 0 |
Louis van Gaal | 2014-2016 | 52.4% | 1 |
Jose Mourinho | 2016-2018 | 58.3% | 2 |
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | 2018-2021 | 54.1% | 0 |
Michael Carrick (caretaker) | 2021 | 66.7% | 0 |
Ralf Rangnick (interim) | 2021-2022 | 37.9% | 0 |
Erik ten Hag | 2022-present | 59.2% | 2 |
Stats correct as of 18th September 2024 | |||
6
Thomas Frank
Brentford
Brentford boss Thomas Frank always seems to be in the running for a number of high-profile jobs given the brilliant job he has done with the Bees.
He was mooted with the position in the summer and could be there or thereabouts again if a change is made, with Man Utd supporters knowing all about his high-pressing football after Brentford embarrassed Ten Hag’s side in August 2022, leading 4-0 at half-time.
7
Julian Nagelsmann
Germany
Julian Nagelsmann has spent the entirety of his managerial career to date in his native country, managing Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Minich at club level before taking over on the international stage with Germany.
He failed to win the European Championship on home soil over the summer and is under contract with his nation until 2026, so perhaps a move to Man Utd could be tricky to pull off.
8
Mauricio Pochettino
United States
Mauricio Pochettino recently got back into work, accepting the job as the USA manager after leaving Chelsea at the end of the 2023/24 season, signing a two-year deal which will include the 2026 World Cup based on home soil.
The Argentine has been heavily linked with the Red Devils role on more than one occasion but is still among the top 10 favourites to become the next Man Utd manager.
9
Graham Potter
Free agent (last job: Chelsea)
Graham Potter has been out of a job for over a year and is seemingly waiting on the perfect opportunity to return to the dugout, having rejected advances from the likes of Leicester City and Ajax since his departure from Chelsea.
He may well see Old Trafford as a brilliant chance to prove he can succeed at a huge club, so Potter could be one to watch if there is movement at Man Utd in the coming months.
10
Marco Silva
Fulham
Marco Silva appears to be a manager who goes under the radar, but has been impressing with Fulham for a number of years now after taking them back into the Premier League.
Recently wanted by Benfica, Silva has also managed three other English sides – Hull City, Watford and Everton – so Man Utd would comfortably be the biggest job of his career if he were to get the nod of approval.
