Erik ten Hag‘s future at Manchester United hangs in the balance as club chiefs prepare for a crucial meeting on Tuesday, with Thomas Tuchel now tipped to replace him.
Ten Hag is under immense pressure following United’s worst start to a season in over 50 years, with a mere eight points from seven games leaving them languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.
The decision on Ten Hag’s fate will be made by United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, his right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford, CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.
Majority shareholder Joel Glazer, who was present at a supporters’ group meeting with Ratcliffe at Old Trafford yesterday, will also be part of the discussions.
With the heat mounting on Ten Hag, Tuchel stands ready to step in. Despite failing to reach an agreement with United during summer talks, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager remains available and is open to taking the reins at Old Trafford.
Although the executive meeting at United’s London offices is a regular event, Ten Hag’s precarious position will undoubtedly dominate the agenda, especially given the team’s disappointing start to the season that sees them already trailing six points behind fourth place.
United’s failure to secure a Champions League spot last season could cost the club around £50million if they fail to qualify again this year.
This financial blow may force the club to reconsider Ten Hag’s position if they believe a top-four finish is out of reach this season.
If the United board decides to part ways with Ten Hag, it’s likely that former striker and current first-team coach Ruud van Nistelrooy would step in as interim manager.
Ten Hag has been under immense pressure since the beginning of the season, despite the club’s decision to stick with him over the summer, even after considering potential replacements like Tuchel.
The 54-year-old United boss needed a strong start to his third season following last year’s disappointing eighth-place finish – the club’s lowest in the Premier League era.
However, United have only managed two wins from their seven Premier League games this season and haven’t scored in their last three league matches. With just five league goals this season, only Southampton have found the back of the net less frequently.
United’s Europa League campaign has also gotten off to a sluggish start, with draws against FC Twente and Porto leaving them 21st in the table only the top 24 progress to the knockout stage.
