Man Utd chief’s private chat with Zidane revealed as Romano gives update on Ten Hag sack

Manchester United director Jean-Claude Blanc is reported to have kept communications lines open with Zinedine Zidane amid claims the Frenchman is the new favourite to become their new manager and with INEOS’s stance on Erik ten Hag coming to light.

The Red Devils have clumsily fumbled their way through the season’s opening weeks, collecting just three wins in 10 matches across all competitions to leave Manchester United down in a lowly 14th in the Premier League table and statistically nearer the relegation places than the top four. As a result, Ten Hag finds himself under increased pressure to turn results around and spare himself from the sack.

While a meeting at INEOS head offices last week decided against pulling the trigger for now, reports on Tuesday claim Ten Hag could be axed if positive results are not collected in their next two matches, at home to Brentford and away at Fenerbahce.

Now Fabrizio Romano has provided more clarity on those talks, explaining on his YouTube channel what went down: “They are preparing for the Brentford game. Ten Hag didn’t receive formal communication from the Man Utd board telling him he could continue the job.

“Man Utd board never felt they had to tell the manager anything. They discussed the situation, their problems at the club, and the slow start in the Premier League and Europa League but never had to tell something directly to Ten Hag.

“The club insists that he was never really close to getting fired this week or the last. So, this is the feeling- they have problems, and they are discussing the position of Ten Hag for sure, but was never something close to being resolved in recent days.

“This is why Erik ten Hag has always been focused on the Brentford game to improve the situation in terms of results and performances.”

Despite revealing Ten Hag has not been told he is under immediate pressure of the sack, The Independent reports that INEOS chief executive of sport and United director, Blanc, remains convinced he can lure Zidane to Old Trafford and has held private discussions, keeping an ‘open line of discussion’ with the Frenchman over the possibility of taking on the United job.

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Next Man Utd manager: Tuchel out the running, so who next?

We have persistently reported that it is just a ‘matter of time’ before the axe falls on Ten Hag’s reign with the club’s minority shareholder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, having lost faith in his ability to turn their form around and very tellingly refusing to publicly back him when questioned earlier this month.

We also understand that the British billionaire recommended the Dutchman’s removal as manager at last week’s meeting in London, having also made clear his wishes to give the job to Thomas Tuchel, whom he had also spoken to over the summer.

However, United’s delay in deciding to remove Ten Hag as manager has now cost them dear, with their No.1 choice in Tuchel now taking up a position as the new England manager in succession to Gareth Southgate.

Where United turn next remains to be seen, though we understand there are admirers within the United boardroom for Graham Potter. And the former Brighton and Chelsea will likely move more into their sphere of thinking after missing out on Tuchel.

But what of Zidane? His former France teammate, Emmanuel Petit, believes United can land the former Real Madrid manager if they give him assurances both over the future and of his ability to sign new players.

“I’m not sure that he speaks very good English as well. And communication is very important in the dressing room. Honestly, I know a little bit, Zizou [Zidane], and he needs to get guarantees if he wants to sign over there in Manchester United,” Petit told the Manchester Evening News.

“At the moment, the environment at Manchester United for years has not been good. The stability of the bench, the level of the players as well, and the expectations of the club is not the same as it used to be. United is still a huge club, but not on the pitch anymore.

“And Zizou is very conscious and very careful about that, the quality of the players. At the moment, when you look at the team, I’m not convinced at all about the level of some players. If he takes the job at Manchester United, that means he’s got solutions.”

Latest Man Utd transfer news: Bastoni regret / Alphonso Davies links

On the transfer front, United have been linked with a triple swoop on Bayern Munich in recent days, with fresh reports claiming the Red Devils are looking to rival Real Madrid for the free-transfer capture of Alphonso Davies.

The Canadian is regarded as one of the best left-backs in the world game but will be free to leave the Allianz Arena as a free agent next summer if he does not agree a new deal.

And with the 23-year-old available to sign a pre-contract agreement with a new suitor from January 1, it’s reported that United are positioning themselves in the mix to sign him.

Indeed, Davies is the third Bayern man to be linked with United over the past couple of days with reports earlier this week claiming they were also ready to target raids for Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sane, with the latter also a free agent in 2025.

Meanwhile, United have been taunted over their failure to sign Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni, who is now rated by an Italy legend as ‘the best’ in the world amid a claim United considered a cut-price deal some three years ago.

Elsewhere, United’s apparent wishes to offload Casemiro have suffered a minor blow with two of the Brazilian’s suitors learning a transfer is impossible and with talks over his only now likely only move having escalated.

Zidane and his impressive managerial CV