Manchester United

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Elite manager rejects Man Utd job as desperate Ratcliffe bid fails – but date for Ten Hag sack emerges

Manchester United minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag next to the Man Utd badge - image copyright of TEAMtalk

Manchester United minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe is to discuss the future of Erik ten Hag as manager

Simone Inzaghi has turned down the Manchester United job after Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly made an approach for the Inter Milan coach – leaving a new overwhelming favourite to take charge of the Red Devils and with a date set for when Erik ten Hag faces the sack.

The Red Devils have started the season in disastrous fashion, losing three of their six Premier League matches so far to sit 13th in the Premier League. It’s not been much better in the Europa League either and Thursday’s 3-3 draw with FC Porto – after Manchester United blew an early 2-0 lead before only being saved a point by a last-gasp Harry Maguire header – did not reflect well on the manager either.

And with minority shareholder Ratcliffe arriving in the UK to watch Sunday’s tricky Premier League trip to Aston Villa, the writing could well on the wall for Ten Hag in the coming days. The British billionaire would only offer a cursory 10-word verdict on the United boss when questioned on Friday.

With the Dutchman’s position in increasing jeopardy, transfer insider Tancredi Palmeri claims the club are due to hold “frantic talks” over the future of the United boss in the coming days – and believes the sack will arrive in the international break, possibly as soon as Monday.

One man who won’t be taking over though is Inzaghi, with Palmeri revealing the Inter Milan coach has immediately declined the opportunity to succeed Ten Hag with immediate effect.

Writing for SportItalia, Palmeri said: “Frantic talks underway at Manchester United to decide whether to proceed with a manager change during the break.

“Manchester United in recent days offered the bench to Simone Inzaghi to take over immediately during the break but Inzaghi declined”.

READ MORE ➡️ Ratcliffe provides 10-word verdict on Ten Hag after jetting in for crisis talks

Next Man Utd manager: Outstanding favourite for role emerges

While sources can verify to TEAMtalk that Inzaghi is a name the club have under consideration, our understanding is that he is not the top choice with Ratcliffe keen to hand the role to Thomas Tuchel instead.

United held discussions with the former Bayern Munich boss over the summer, but the German decided the timing was not right to take on the job and opted instead to take a break from the game. As a result of that rejection, United opted to give Ten Hag a new deal, seeing him through to the end of the 2025/26 season.

However, just a matter of weeks after that agreement was struck, Ten Hag now looks poised to lose his job as manager.

Axing him will cost the club some £16m in compensation, according to The Athletic, meaning United will look to appoint a manager currently not in work as their next boss to avoid further compensation costs.

Our reporter Rudy Galetti has revealed Tuchelthat  is now firmly installed as their No 1 pick to take on the role.

It is also our understanding that Ratcliffe is keen to push a ‘Best of British’ agenda for United should the move for Tuchel fail a second time around, with three English options under consideration.

But the choice for Tuchel is clear and he will likely be the name top of their wishlist if they decide to pull the trigger on that change in the coming days.

Man Utd urged to avoid Southgate / Merson makes alarming comparison

With the end seemingly close for Ten Hag and speculation ramping up on a successor, former United defender Gary Neville has urged the club to avoid moving for Gareth Southgate, explaining why he has never seen the former England manager as a good fit for the role.

Meanwhile, another strong critic of the Ten Hag regime, Paul Scholes, has turned the heat fully up on the Dutchman by claiming the Red Devils are “regressing” under his management and falling even further behind the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool.

Paul Merson, meanwhile, has also lambasted the United boss by highlighting a dramatic difference between the 54-year-old and new Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

The former Feyenoord manager has made a dream start to life at Anfield, winning eight of his nine games in charge so far and they will look to make it six wins in a row on Saturday at Crystal Palace before they sign off for the international break.

As a result, Merson did not hold back when comparing the two Dutchmen.

Tuchel record makes for an impressive read

Thomas Tuchel's managerial record in numbers - graphic copyright of TEAMtalk
Thomas Tuchel’s managerial record in numbers

United would be landing one of the game’s elite managers if they can convince Tuchel to succeed Ten Hag, having won three league titles (twice with PSG in 2019 and 2020) and then again with Bayern Munich in 2023.

He is also a two-time Champions League finalist, losing with PSG – to future employers Bayern in 2020 – before masterminding Chelsea’s surprise 2021 triumph over Manchester City at the Estadio do Dragao, courtesy of Kai Havertz’s strike.

He also consistently gets sides finishing in the top four with eight finishes there so far to his name.

And to add further appeal, he also boasts a 57.26% win record, claiming victories in 351 of the 613 games he has taken charge of across spells at Augsburg, Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Chelsea and Bayern.