Home Football After speaking with Tuchel and others, Sir Jim Ratcliffe performs an unexpected U-turn, and Erik ten Hag RETAINS his position as manager of Manchester United.

After speaking with Tuchel and others, Sir Jim Ratcliffe performs an unexpected U-turn, and Erik ten Hag RETAINS his position as manager of Manchester United.

Football — 06/12/2024

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE made a surprising reversal by deciding to retain Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, and initiated discussions for a new contract with him. This decision follows a thorough end-of-season evaluation over the past two weeks. Despite meeting with Thomas Tuchel, Ratcliffe couldn’t reach an agreement with the former Bayern Munich manager.Erik ten Hag looks delighted to be back in training ahead of Premier League return alongside Garnacho and Co | The Irish Sun

Manchester United have officially announced that Ten Hag, who had a year left on his contract, will continue in his role. Despite a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Premier League and missing out on Champions League qualification, Ten Hag secured FA Cup victory over Manchester City at Wembley on May 25.

While alternatives like Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate, Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter, Kieran McKenna, Roberto De Zerbi, and Thomas Frank were considered, Ratcliffe and Ineos ultimately decided that Ten Hag was the right choice after evaluating the entire season and the team’s operations.Sir Jim Ratcliffe has chosen to stick with Ten Hag after his end-of-season review

Ten Hag, who had expressed confidence in his ability to win trophies elsewhere if he were to leave United, engaged in constructive discussions with the club’s hierarchy on Tuesday. The confirmation of his continuation arrived late last night, and he will soon meet with the club’s leadership to plan for the upcoming season.

Ratcliffe has already implemented changes in the management structure, with Omar Berrarda set to become the chief executive next month and Dan Ashworth expected to join as the director of football from Newcastle. Technical director Jason Wilcox, along with Ratcliffe, Sir David Brailsford, and Jean Claude Blanc, has been working on reshaping the club’s management.

Ten Hag’s retention has been well-received by a significant portion of United supporters who stood by him during a challenging league campaign plagued by injuries. His success in developing young talents like Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, along with his commitment to the club’s tradition of nurturing young players, played a crucial role in the decision.

With his future secured, Ten Hag can focus on preparing for the upcoming season. Since his appointment in 2022, he has already won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, and United are now looking to strengthen their squad for the new season, targeting a new striker like Ivan Toney and considering Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as a replacement for the departing Raphael Varane.