Man Utd ‘get green light’ to replace Ten Hag with title-winning coach as outrageous report lifts lid on ‘betrayal’

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi has agreed to become the new manager of Manchester United, according to astonishing reports in the Italian media – and when Sir Jim Ratcliffe will sack Erik ten Hag has also come to light.

The Dutchman has been under intense pressure this season after failing to get a consistent tune from his expensively assembled Manchester United squad and is now at the point where any match that finishes in anything less than a win appears to make his position look untenable. And while his side claimed a first win in five games over the weekend in coming from behind to beat Brentford, the pressure will once again be on his shoulders to beat Fenerbahce in Thursday night’s Europa League clash.

Either way, it seems the sands of time are running out on the Ten Hag reign and now astonishing new reports in Italy claim Ratcliffe has reached a monumental breakthrough in his quest to land a successor.

Earlier this month, it was reported the British billionaire had attempted to persuade Inter coach Inzaghi to dump the Italian champions to move to Old Trafford; an offer that was very quickly rebuffed.

However, InterLive – a source that while often quite speculative but also intensely loyal to doing right by the club – now claims Inzaghi has ‘accepted’ an offer to become the United manager following ‘two rounds of interviews’ and in what the website are calling the ultimate ‘betrayal’.

They claim Inzaghi ‘has already given his green light’ to Man Utd after saying ‘yes’ after a ‘couple of video conferences with the board’ and the ‘details of the operation that will finally take shape in the coming weeks are crazy’.

They claim he will be given an ‘almost unlimited budget to strengthen’ the team and that the 48-year-old will sign a three-year deal.

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The report goes on to add that United, however, don’t actually plan to make the change until the season’s end with the under-pressure Ten Hag given a stay of execution until the summer and at a time when the club know it will be cheaper to sack him and having extended his deal only back in June of this year.

However, it’s reported that regardless of how this season pans out, Ratcliffe has decided that a change is necessary to restore United to the helm of the English and European game and ensure the INEOS masterplan is brought to life.

That would tally with our understanding of the situation. Sources informed us that Ratcliffe recently told the club’s executive board members meeting at the INEOS headquarters in Knightsbridge, London, that he wanted the Dutchman removed as United manager and that he lost faith in his abilities to turn things around after last season’s eighth-placed finish – the club’s lowest ever in the Premier League.

However, he ultimately left the decision in the hands of chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth, who opted at the time to stand by their man.

In the last few days though, there has been indications that Berrada’s head has now been turned. To that end, the Daily Mail reported earlier this week that the United CEO had led a four-man delegation to Barcelona to speak with former Blaugrana coach Xavi over the possibility of taking the job.

Now, though, it seems that Inzaghi is the man chosen to lead their new era if Inter Live’s strong claims are to be proved accurate.

Ten Hag himself has once again fought against claims suggesting he is heading for the sack, stating earlier this week: “It is football, you have to live for now. (What happened) is in the past, you have to prove (yourself) every day, you have to prove yourself every season so we have to go for it.

“We are in the start of the season and we will see where we end but our target is to win a trophy again.”

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Meanwhile, Ashworth is reported to have opened talks with Sporting Lisbon over a deal to sign explosive teenage forward Geovany Quenda.

The 17-year-old has six appearances to his name this season, having drawn comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo. Recently called up to the Portugal squad, it has also emerged that a deal will not be easy owing to a mammoth exit clause in his contract.

A move for the teenager, though, would certainly tally with sources informing us that United have decided they want to offload troubled winger Antony – potentially as soon as the January window.

However, reports in the Netherlands have revealed that United’s early attempts to flog Antony to a former club have already hit a big issue.

Elsewhere, Wes Brown has issued a plea to United to do all in their power to bring in Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, labelling him a ‘Grade A star’ and explaining exactly why it is a signing the club cannot afford to miss.

How does Inzaghi record compare to Ten Hag?