Gareth Southgate, ex-Chelsea bosses and Zinedine Zidane among contenders to replace Erik ten Hag as Man United manager

08/05/2024 19:45

Will Erik ten Hag still be Manchester United manager next season?

It's the question new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is mulling over in the wake of Monday's shambolic 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.

With Ten Hag set to survive at least until after the FA Cup final and with elite-level managers thin on the ground, who could Ratcliffe be lining up as a potential successor to the under-fire Dutchman?

Graham Potter

Potter has turned down numerous job offers in recent weeks and months so is clearly saving himself for something big.

The ex-Chelsea boss is one of the leading contenders to replace Ten Hag due to his relationship with incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth from their time working successfully together at Brighton. Potter has a key ally in Ratcliffe's right-hand man and former team GB cycling guru Sir Dave Brailsford too.

His appointment would be underwhelming in the eyes of a lot of United fans after an ill-fated stint at Chelsea, but Potter would argue the behind-the-scenes set-up there was too chaotic for any manager to succeed.

The big question is has he learnt enough from that experience to command respect in a notoriously difficult dressing room?

During his time at Brighton, also wanted by Ajax, Potter showed his ability to blood and develop young players and to implement a distinctive, progressive playing style and he would be well advised to ditch the 'glow-up' and go back to being a training ground manager.

Gareth Southgate

Whether Southgate continues with England after the Euros is still very much open to debate and may depend on how well they do at this summer's tournament.

He is another Ashworth disciple and is in a WhatsApp group with Brailsford along with several other high-profile coaches like ex-England Rugby World Cup boss Eddie Jones, so there is substance to reports linking him with INEOS.

As Ten Hag has found out all too well, there are few jobs in world football that come with as much scrutiny as United, but the way Southgate has handled himself as England gaffer and his relationship with the media has proved he can handle that pressure, something Ratcliffe has taken notice of.

He also has a good rapport with United's England contingent, so should be well-received by the players.

However, he has not taken charge of a club side since being sacked by Middlesbrough in 2009 so there is a concern he is more suited to international management.

Meanwhile, his critics would point out he has failed to win anything despite having so much generational talent at his disposal.

Thomas Tuchel

talkSPORT understands there has been initial contact between Tuchel's advisers and the United hierarchy to express an interest in moving to Old Trafford and he could yet leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season as a Champions League winner. 

The former Chelsea boss is desperate to return to the Premier League and feels he has unfinished business after his abrupt departure from Stamford Bridge following a fallout with Blues co-owner Behdad Eghbali. He has also made no secret of the fact he would love to lead United.

However, Tuchel is not great at managing up and his abrasiveness would count against him as would his track record of changing clubs every couple of years as Ratcliffe is looking to build for the long-term.

One positive is that the German has the ego to believe he can turn United around and would not be afraid of whipping the dressing room into shape. He is probably the standout contender in the eyes of the majority of United fans and his claims would only be enhanced if Bayern were crowned European champions.

Hansi Flick

Another German who has expressed an interest in succeeding Ten Hag is former national team manager Flick.

Flick was regarded as one of Europe's top coaches after leading Bayern Munich to back-to-back Bundesliga titles, a league, German Cup and Champions League treble as well as the Club World Cup, but his reputation took a battering after Germany's poor showing at the 2022 World Cup.

He also did not cover himself in glory in Amazon's All or Nothing documentary laying bare German's failings in Qatar, leading to suggestions he buckled under pressure.

But during his time at Bayern, Flick was renowned for having a distinct high-pressing playing style, the lack of which has been one of the main criticisms of Ten Hag, influenced by Pep Guardiola and the fact he was a serial-winner should appeal to Ratcliffe and the United fanbase.

Roberto De Zerbi

If I was writing this a year ago then De Zerbi would likely have featured prominently in INEOS' thoughts.

The Italian had a wonderful debut season in the Premier League, building on the foundations laid by Potter to lead Brighton into Europe for the very first time, and his Seagulls team also produced a blistering attacking display to beat United at Old Trafford back in August.

Brighton's form in the second half of this season has been sketchy to say the least and it is also thought De Zerbi talked his way out of contention for a potential move to Liverpool by openly questioning the ambitions of the Brighton board in press conferences.

In any case, talkSPORT understands the Italian now plans to stay at the Amex Stadium for at least one more season.

Zinedine Zidane

'Zizou' has been out of work for two years since leaving Real Madrid after his second stint in charge.

The France legend is linked with a switch to Old Trafford every time the vacancy comes up and would certainly bring the level of stardust the Red Devils faithful used to be accustomed to and has the aura to motivate under-performing players like Marcus Rashford.

By his own admission, Zidane's grasp of the English language is not the greatest and despite the World Cup winner saying he is ready to return to work, that would count against him.