Pressure has significantly increased on Erik ten Hag at Manchester United in recent days, so much so they have identified a manager who could replace the Dutchman, according to a recent report.
The Red Devils put in a very disappointing and embarrassing performance against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, and that has resulted in speculation increasing over the future of Ten Hag. The Dutchman faces a defining week as trips to Porto and Aston Villa await before the next international break.
Man Utd’s next manager
Failure to secure wins against Porto and Villa could result in the end of Ten Hag’s reign at Manchester United. If that does happen, United will have to react quickly when it comes to bringing in a new manager, but according to the club’s former chief scout, Mick Brown, they may already have their replacement in mind.
Brown worked at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson, and he was key behind bringing Ruud Van Nistelrooy to the club in 2001. 23 years on, and Brown thinks Van Nistelrooy would be a “brilliant” fit to become the next manager at Old Trafford. Brown thinks the former striker should be a prime candidate to replace Ten Hag should a change occur.
“Ruud van Nistelrooy has come in, and I know him; he’s a top-class person. I was instrumental in signing Ruud. I think he’d be a brilliant fit. But at the moment, he can only do what the manager instructs him to do, so we haven’t seen too much of what he’s capable of.
“They’re going to have to do something because I don’t think there’s a long list of candidates out there waiting for the job. I think they could give him the job on an interim basis and see how he goes. If he does well, they might end up appointing him to take over on a full-time basis, as there aren’t too many other options out there.”
But while some may back Van Nistelrooy to become the next United manager, it appears the club also have their eyes on some big name targets.
Ratcliffe and Man Utd could hire a “fantastic” Inzaghi
According to The Daily Star, relayed by the Daily Mail, Manchester United are considering a move for Simone Inzaghi if they decide to sack Ten Hag. Pressure is starting to seriously grow on the Dutchman, and while he remains in charge this week, it is believed that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will assess the situation during the international break.
Inzaghi, who has been described as a “fantastic” coach by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been in charge of Inter Milan since 2021, and he is now an option that is being considered by the Old Trafford hierarchy. Inzaghi has won the Serie A, the Coppa Italia twice and guided Inter to the Champions League final in 2023 during his tenure, while he also won the Coppa Italia during his time with Lazio.
The report states that Ratcliffe will seek the opinions of the Glazers, sporting director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Omar Berrada before deciding on his next move. The Italian has never managed outside of Italy, but his stock is rising very much as he continues to impress at Inter Milan.