Erik Ten Hag will remain as manager of Manchester United following a post-season review by the club’s board. Discussions are underway to extend his contract, which is entering its final season.
The review began immediately after the FA Cup final. Ten Hag faced reports that he would be dismissed regardless of the game’s outcome. However, United’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City led the club hierarchy to take a more favorable view of his tenure.
The review included “constructive conversations” with Ten Hag, considering all possible outcomes. The board’s clear preference was for the 54-year-old Dutchman to continue in his role.
Ten Hag, reportedly pleased with the decision, was initially frustrated by the review’s duration. United, however, maintained that two weeks was a reasonable timeframe for a thorough assessment in the first season under new ownership.
Thomas Tuchel had been in discussions with new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe last week but removed himself from consideration. Interest in Mauricio Pochettino also waned despite his availability after leaving Chelsea. Other names like Graham Potter, Thomas Frank, Roberto de Zerbi, and England manager Gareth Southgate were linked, but Brentford was never approached about Frank, and Southgate’s England commitments made a summer appointment impractical.
Ten Hag has been vacationing with his family in Ibiza. Last season, United finished eighth, their lowest position in the Premier League era, with 45 recorded injuries—a factor Ten Hag often cited for subpar performances.
Ten Hag took over at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022, becoming the club’s fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. His predecessors were David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Previously, Ten Hag had a successful four-and-a-half-year spell at Ajax, winning three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups.
In his debut season, he led United to a third-place Premier League finish and reached the EFL Cup and FA Cup finals. He secured his first trophy as United boss in February 2023 with an EFL Cup victory over Newcastle but lost to Manchester City in the FA Cup final three months later.
The 2023-24 season was challenging, including an early Champions League exit after finishing bottom of their group. United began the season poorly, losing six of their first 10 games, including defeats to Galatasaray and Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Despite the FA Cup final win, they only won five of their last 12 matches in all competitions.
Ratcliffe Sticks with Ten Hag
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group acquired a 27.7% stake in the club in December. New director Sir David Brailsford has since been reviewing football operations at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe hinted at retaining Ten Hag in January, citing an unsupportive club environment for managers.
“In the last 11 years, Manchester United have had a lot of coaches and nobody has been very successful in that environment. That says to me there is something wrong with the environment,” said Ratcliffe.
With confirmation of Ten Hag’s retention, United can now focus on rebuilding and exploring the transfer market. Ten Hag was supported last summer with the acquisitions of Andre Onana, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund.
Ten Hag has also managed several off-field issues. Mason Greenwood joined Getafe on loan following an internal investigation, while winger Antony was given leave due to allegations in Brazil from a former girlfriend, which he denies. Jadon Sancho was dropped from the squad early in the season after refusing to apologize to Ten Hag for claiming he was made a “scapegoat.”
United’s calamitous form in April, nearly throwing away a three-goal lead in the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry, almost jeopardized Ten Hag’s position. A marginal VAR decision saved United, who advanced on penalties and then defeated Manchester City with their best performance of the season, securing European qualification.
Ten Hag is one of only four United managers to win trophies in consecutive seasons, a point recognized by the club’s hierarchy. They appreciate his role in developing youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, both set for international duty this summer.
With a new sporting structure likely to include Dan Ashworth as sporting director, Jason Wilcox as football director, and Omar Berrada as chief executive, there is optimism that Ten Hag will thrive in the revamped setup.
