Manchester United
Premier League • England
Tuchel feelings on Man Utd job made clear as Ten Hag makes fresh bid to dodge sack
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will return to work at Carrington on Monday as he looks to turn around the club’s fortunes and spare himself from the sack, amid new claims that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made a fresh appeal to Thomas Tuchel.
The Red Devils have started the 2024/25 campaign in worrying fashion, winning just two of their seven Premier League games so far to leave them 14th and closer to the relegation zone – both in terms of points won and where they sit in the table – than the top four. As a result, Ten Hag has found himself facing some strong calls for his removal as Manchester United manager.
After avoiding the chop over the summer, it seems Ten Hag has once again been spared, this time following last week’s executive board meeting at the London headquarters of INEOS. And while we understand that minority shareholder Ratcliffe recommended to the board that he wants Ten Hag gone, the 54-year-old has been granted a further stay of execution with both chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth still behind him – for now.
However, with Ten Hag warned an immediate improvement is now required and that he is now entering a period of must-win games, multiple sources have now reported that the Dutchman is due back at their training complex on Monday, where preparations for Saturday’s clash against Brentford are already underway.
We have also consistently reported that Thomas Tuchel remains right at the top of their wishlist and on standby to take charge if the axe were to fall on Ten Hag and if that immediate improvement is not evident.
Now according to TBR, United have reached out once again to Tuchel following reports over the weekend that he has also emerged on the FA’s radar to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager.
Concerned by claims they could miss out on their No. 1 target, Ratcliffe is reported to have checked in once again with the 51-year-old German over the possibility of taking charge and amid claims that Tuchel has now made it clear to his representatives that his next job will indeed be back in England.
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As far as Tuchel is concerned, we understand that United need not worry too seriously about links to the England job and that the 51-year-old’s focus right now is on a return to club management.
However, while he has yet to be formally offered the United hot seat, there does remain a risk that the Red Devils could miss out – be it England or elsewhere. But as we understand, Tuchel has now kept his options open and will be keeping a close watch on developments at Old Trafford throughout the coming few weeks.
At the same time, we understand that the beleaguered Dutchman is far from out of the woods just yet and sources have informed us that a decision to remove him as manager could still be taken in due course. A failure to win on Saturday could put him in immediate jeopardy, while at the very least the situation will be reviewed again come the November international break.
In the intervening period, United face a run of matches which are all considered winnable with matches against Fenerbahce, West Ham, Leicester twice, Chelsea and PAOK to follow Saturday’s clash with Thomas Frank’s side.
Five of the seven are also at home, so a major upturn in their fortunes will be expected at the very least.
With Ten Hag back at work on Monday following a week-long break, the United manager is due to face the media later this week where he will once again face questions on both his future and of that meeting of their executive board members in London.
In the meantime, the Dutchman is adamant he retains the club’s faith, correctly and defiantly telling Sky Sports after last weekend’s 0-0 draw against Aston Villa that he expects to remain in charge.
“We always speak, every week we speak. We are all on board together, on one page, we know what we are working through it’s a long-term process. We have come through two very tough away games.
“This is a team, we showed the belief and faith we have. I think it’s the fourth clean sheet this season. You see we had a very good organisation and togetherness. There was good character and good spirit as a team. Determined, resilient.
“We almost didn’t concede a chance, when you defend like this and get some luck, in the end, they had a big chance but it was almost the only chance I think. But the two teams were really balanced.”
Latest Man Utd transfer news: Game over for Antony / Atletico star linked
Meanwhile, United are reportedly ready to cut their losses on Brazilian winger Antony in the January window and amid claims he could move to one of two rival clubs in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old has failed to justify his enormous £82m (rising to £86m) fee two summers ago and with the club’s true feelings on the player now coming to light, it seems a move away from Old Trafford is finally gathering pace for Antony.
In other news, the Red Devils are being linked with a surprise swoop on Atletico Madrid for Rodrigo De Paul. The Red Devils are pushing to offload both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen either at the season’s end or possibly as soon as January, and the Argentina midfielder is seen as a potential replacement in the engine room.
Elsewhere, Liverpool have been told it will take €50m (£41.8m / $54.7m) to bring former Man Utd left-back, Alvaro Fernandez Carreras, back to the Premier League. That figure relates to the player’s release clause and amid claims Benfica are only willing to sell if they are handed a handsome profit on their bargain €6m signing of the Spain Under-21 star.
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