Reports this week suggest that Manchester United have settled on Ajax boss Erik ten Hag as their permanent new manager.
It would come as something of a surprise. PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino is widely considered to be the best option and has been linked with them for years.
Manchester United are also reported to be in talks with Spain coach Luis Enrique and Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui.
However, Enrique has said he will not take another job until after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
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Erik ten Hag would represent the start of a ‘project’ at Manchester United. He has had success building two Ajax teams who have impressed in the Champions League.
However, Manchester is not Amsterdam and at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag would have more on his plate than the development of young players.
He would have to navigate an imbalanced squad, which still has players from the Ferguson, Moyes, van Gaal, Mourinho and Solskjaer eras. As well as that, he would have to manage bona fide world stars.
Building an exciting young team is one thing, figuring out how to play Cristiano Ronaldo is another. The 52-year-old Dutchman has never had a job as big as Manchester United.
Bubbling away in the background of all this is the situation of current interim coach Ralf Rangnick. His situation needs to be clarified for a new coach to truly succeed.
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Rangnick will apparently move into a two year ‘consultancy role’ with the club once this season is finished. However, nobody actually knows what that means.
Was the idea for Rangnick to coach the squad, make an assessment and then advise the next coach? Was there any thinking at all behind this decision? Why is Erik ten Hag suddenly the frontrunner ahead of Pochettino?
Ten Hag is an exciting young coach about to take on the biggest challenge of his career: the chaos of Old Trafford.
