Despite uncertainties about his future, Erik ten Hag will indeed leave Manchester United at the end of the season, regardless of the outcome of the FA Cup final.
European coaches seem to be on shaky ground lately. Following the departures of Mauricio Pochettino and Xavi Hernández earlier this week, Erik ten Hag’s future was already in doubt at Manchester United. The Red Devils, who still have to play an FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday (4:00 PM), are coming off a mediocre season where they failed to secure a European spot and finished in eighth place.
Even though the season isn’t over yet, Manchester United has already targeted four potential replacements in case the Dutch manager departs. Among them are Mauricio Pochettino, recently arrived from Chelsea, as well as Thomas Tuchel, who is leaving Bayern Munich. There’s also Thomas Frank, the Brentford manager, and the rising star Kieran McKenna, who successfully guided Ipswich Town to the Premier League. The post-FA Cup final period seemed crucial to determine the future direction of the Manchester club.
Regardless of the final result
However, according to the latest revelations from The Guardian, Manchester United has decided to dismiss Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final against Manchester City. Even if the club wins the trophy against their Manchester rivals, the Dutch coach’s future is assuredly away from Old Trafford. He arrived in 2022 and recently expressed his desire not to leave.
“I think they have common sense. The executives see that we have used 32 different defensive lines, lost eight central defenders, used 13 different pairings in central defense, don’t have a left-back, and have so many injuries,” he explained. But the decision has been made, marking a significant first move for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team, especially as Erik ten Hag’s contract was due to run until 2025.
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