Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

‘Favourite’ to replace Ten Hag ‘wary’ of taking charge, as Man Utd plan threatens to unravel

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and assistant boss Ruud van Nistelrooy - image copyright of TEAMtalk

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and assistant boss Ruud van Nistelrooy

Why Ruud van Nistelrooy has reservations about succeeding Erik ten Hag as manager of Manchester United has been revealed.

Ten Hag’s position is once again under the microscope following a start to the season that has seen Man Utd win just three out of a possible nine matches.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be in attendance at Villa Park for Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Man Utd. Various sources have suggested defeat to Villa could be Ten Hag’s final act.

According to a fresh update from The Mirror, Man Utd’s plan is to install assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy as interim manager if the axe falls on Ten Hag after the Villa match.

However, the report also claimed that plan is not guaranteed to unfold as the club expect, with van Nistelrooy concerned about being perceived as betraying Ten Hag if he accepts the promotion.

Van Nistelrooy – who is labelled ‘favourite’ to become the next Man Utd boss on an interim basis – does not wish to be viewed as an ‘opportunist’ having only arrived as Ten Hag’s assistant over the summer.

The former striker’s reservations relate to his own managerial experience at PSV Eindhoven. Indeed, Van Nistelrooy accused his assistant manager Fred Rutten and senior players of undermining him in Eindhoven. The end result saw Van Nistelrooy resign as PSV manager ahead of the final match of the 2022/23 campaign.

READ MORE: Next Man Utd manager: EVERY single option tipped to replace increasingly doomed Ten Hag

Ratcliffe’s ominous comments on Ten Hag sack

Whether Van Nistelrooy’s reservations are enough to prevent him from accepting the managerial job in an interim capacity remains to be seen.

Nonetheless, what is clear is Ten Hag is under serious pressure and the fact an international break is looming is ominous. Clubs have often used the two-week mid-season breaks as an opportunity to spring change in the past.

Furthermore, when speaking to the BBC on Friday, co-owner Ratcliffe neglected the opportunity to give Ten Hag a public vote of confidence.

“I like Erik,” said Ratcliffe who declined to say whether he still has faith in him. “I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call. It’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.

The management team Ratcliffe is referring to comprises Omar Berrada (CEO), Dan Ashworth (sporting director) and Jason Wilcox (technical director).

Ratcliffe added: “Our objective is very clear. We want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet — that’s very clear.”

On the subject of who could take the reins on a permanent basis, TEAMtalk has been told Thomas Tuchel is the club’s ‘number one’ target.

De Ligt decision panned / McTominay bewilderment

Elsewhere, two Dutch voices have torn into Ten Hag and centre-back signing Matthijs de Ligt.

De Ligt’s career is said to have gone backwards and signing for Man Utd was stated to be proof of that.

In other news, Man Utd’s decision to sell Scott McTominay has come under fire from the son of Diego Maradona.

McTominay has shone since joining new club Napoli who already hold a two-point advantage atop Serie A.

Finally, reports in Spain claim Man Utd are readying a £42m move for Aston Villa defender Pau Torres.

Van Nistelrooy’s impressive managerial record

Ruud van Nistelrooy Games 51 won 33 drawn 10 lost 8 goals scored 126 goals against 60 goal difference +66 win percentage 64.71%