Manchester United’s board are more convinced that Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is the man for the job of reviving the club’s fortunes after conducting extensive research on all available candidates.
Ten Hag has long been considered one of the replacements, though he has faced stiff competition from Mauricio Pochettino, while Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has lately surfaced as a viable candidate as well.
According to The Sun, United’s board believe Ten Hag is the greatest choice to return the club to the top of both English and European football.
The club’s board have been massively impressed with the 52-year-old’s style of play while they also believe he can help attract players and keep some of those whose future is up in the air.
United will now need to negotiate a deal with Ajax to extract Ten Hag from his contract, though that is not expected to be a problem.
The Dutchman’s contract only runs until 2023 while Ajax – and their CEO Edwin van der Sar, who previously played for United – are not expected to stand in his way.
They hope Ten Hag will be able to hit the ground running and contribute to a significant summer of recruitment, while his appointment will also see a greater shift towards possession football and young players.
United’s board never seriously considered a move for Tuchel, with any deal hugely complicated due to the uncertainty surrounding the west London club’s ownership status, while Pochettino’s case has not been helped by PSG’s massive downturn in form.