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

Manchester United’s demoralising 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Sunday has really cranked up the pressure on boss Erik ten Hag and TT has broken down all the names in the mix to replace the Dutchman at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils find themselves down in 12th place in the Premier League table and nearer the relegation zone, points-wise, than they are the top four following another embarrassing home loss.

Having stood by their man over the summer – when many expected him to be shown the door – United are now facing renewed calls to sack Ten Hag.

To that end, here is every manager linked with replacing Ten Hag and why Manchester United might be considering them…

The frontrunners

Ruud van Nistelrooy

The legendary Old Trafford frontman joined Ten Hag’s coaching set-up over the summer and is now the firm favourite to replace his fellow countryman on an interim basis. Having managed PSV at Under-17 and Under-19 level, he was named manager of the senior side in March 2022 and won the Dutch Cup. However, Van Nistelrooy quit the Eredivisie giants at the end of the 2022/23 campaign after citing a lack of support for his decision. He would certainly be a popular choice for the role, though, even if was only on a short-term basis.

Thomas Tuchel

Tuchel left his role as Bayern Munich boss at the end of last season after having the unwanted distinction of being the manager who oversaw the Bavarian giants losing their grip on the Bundesliga title for the first time in over a decade. But the German is one of the sharpest tactical minds around and a past Champions League winner with Chelsea. He remains firmly among the favourites for the job.

Gareth Southgate

Multiple outlets have previously reported United’s interest in the former England manager. Southgate is said to be regarded as a figure who could reset the club culturally and rejuvenate the team on the pitch, as he has with the Three Lions. The 54-year-old walked away from his Three Lions role after defeat in the final of Euro 2024 to Spain but remains among the bookies’ favourites for the United job.

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In the mix

Graham Potter

Potter is another manager said to be admired by the INEOS sporting leadership team. The 49-year-old impressed during spells in charge of Swansea and Brighton but has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea last year. He turned down the opportunity of managing Ajax towards the end of last season, seemingly in the hope of getting another Premier League gig, and has more recently been tipped to replace Sean Dyche at Everton.

Ruben Amorim

Previously linked with West Ham and Chelsea, The Times claimed last season that Sporting CP coach Amorim was on United’s radar. The hugely impressive 39-year-old coach has led the Lisbon side to two league titles in the last four years, all while playing an attack-minded style of play with an aggressive approach to pressing.

Kieran McKenna

A young, up-and-coming coach who already possesses and intimate knowledge of United thanks to his time as part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s staff, McKenna is in high demand after leading Ipswich to back-to-back promotions. United CEO Omar Berrada has previously met with McKenna’s representatives but the 38-year-old penned a new four-year Town deal not long after.

Roberto De Zerbi

Another former Brighton manager linked with taking over at United, De Zerbi’s time at the AmEx Stadium ended drably with a downturn in form since the turn of the year, but overall the Italian impressed with his dynamic, attack-minded approach and his ability to develop talent. He was reported to be in consideration for the role before the decision to stick with Ten Hag but has since taken over at Marseille, who are firmly in the title mix in France after a strong start to the season.

Thomas Frank

Brentford boss Frank has done a stellar job to not only getting the Bees into the Premier League but keeping them there over the past three seasons. Tactically astute and a smart, clear communicator, the Dane has also been on Chelsea’s shortlist in the past, while ESPN reported United’s interest in the 50-year-old in March. One thing is for sure, the slow starts to games under Ten Hag would come to and end if Brentford’s last three league outings are anything to go by. The Bees have scored in the opening minute of all three to set a new Premier League record.

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The long shots

Joachim Low

The former Germany coach was named in a recent report as a potential option for United should Ten Hag be shown the door. The 64-year-old, who coached his nation to World Cup glory in 2014, has been out of work since he walked away from the international arena in 2021 and is viewed as an unlikely choice.

Unai Emery

Reports in Spain linked Emery to United as Ten Hag’s potential successor last season. The longer the campaign progressed and the more the Spanish tactician achieved with Aston Villa – culminating in a fourth-place Premier League finish and Champions League qualification – the less likely that became. Despite that, he remains in the mix for the role, according to the bookies.

Michel

Girona manager Michel has become one of the hottest coaching properties in Europe for having masterminded the Catalan minnows’ rise to an incredible third-place La Liga finish last season. With Girona owned by the City Football Group, Michel is well known to Berrada, who formerly worked for Manchester City before joining United. And according to The Telegraph, the Red Devils CEO is a big fan of the Spanish tactician. Girona, however, have not started the new campaign as well and currently sit 12th in the table after eight games.

Simone Inzaghi

Italian outlet Tuttosport claimed back in February that Inzaghi was on United’s list of potential heirs to Ten Hag should the Red Devils eventually move on from the Dutchman. The former Lazio manager has done an outstanding job in charge of Inter, taking the Nerazzuri to the Serie A title last season after reaching the Champions League final during the previous campaign. But the 48-year-old is believed to be happy at the San Siro and not looking for a new challenge any time soon.

Zinedine Zidane

Not for the first time, Zidane has been raised as a potential managerial candidate for United and The Independent reported that INEOS made contact with the out-of-work coach’s representatives earlier in the year. But Zidane has only ever managed Real Madrid and has given little indication of any desire to test his coaching skills in the Premier League.

Michael Carrick

The former United midfielder has earned plenty of plaudits for the job he has done at Middlesbrough since leaving his coaching role at Old Trafford and has previously had a spell as interim boss with United. He left the club after Ralf Rangnick’s arrival and guided Boro to the play-offs in his first season before an eight-placed finish last time around. He is known for his progressive style of football and would be a good fit, if United took that gamble.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Former United boss Solkjaer was recently quoted as saying that he would return to Old Trafford if asked, although that looks highly unlikely at this stage. The Norwegian was sacked by United in November 2021 after a heavy defeat to Watford and a failure to win a trophy in his three years in charge.

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Out of the running

Mauricio Pochettino

The former Tottenham and Chelsea boss has long been linked with the Old Trafford post but was recently announced as the new coach of the USA national team after walking away from Stamford Bridge at the end of last season.

Julian Nagelsmann

The 36-year-old former Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig coach was at one stage considered a frontrunner for the Old Trafford gig if Ten Hag is sacked, but he has since extended his contract with the German national team.

Xabi Alonso

For leading Bayer Leverkusen to a first ever title – doing so without suffering a defeat in any competition until a 3-0 reverse to Atalanta in the Europa League final – Alonso was installed as the favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and Tuchel at Bayern, with United considered a long-shot alternative. But the former Real Madrid playmaker decided to commit to Leverkusen for at least one more season.

Thiago Motta

TEAMtalk exclusively revealed back in March that Motta was being monitored inside Old Trafford in the eventuality of Ten Hag’s dismissal, but after guiding Bologna to a fifth-placed finish last season, he was named as the new Juventus coach.

Francesco Farioli

Another manager TEAMtalk exclusively reported was under consideration for the United job was former Nice boss Farioli. The 35-year-old might be unknown to the majority of Premier League fans, but he earned rave reviews for his stewardship of the INEOS-owned French side, overseeing a fifth-place Ligue 1 finish last term. However, he was named Ajax coach in May 2024.

Gary O’Neil

O’Neil made a big impression in his first season in charge at Wolves, steering the Midlands club well clear of the relegation battle en route a solid 14th-place finish. Still, the 41-year-old was a surprise name to enter the running for the United post when ESPN reported the Red Devils’ interest in the inexperienced former Bournemouth boss. However, Wolves have endured a nightmare start to the new season and currently sit bottom of the Premier League table with five defeats from six games. Just imagine if United went in that direction now!

Julen Lopetegui

As far back as November, Spanish sports newspaper AS claimed that Lopetegui was a contender to be the next United boss. However, the former Real Madrid chief replaced David Moyes at West Ham over the summer on a two-year deal with the option of a third at the London Stadium.

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