Manchester United have reportedly started the process to zero in on their new permanent manager ahead of the 2022/23 season.
As per The Athletic, Manchester United are eager to zero in on a permanent solution for the managerial conundrum soon enough and have initiated talks with managerial candidates. They want to give the new manager enough time to work on the incomings and outgoings for the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Red Devils’ new chief executive Richard Arnold has reportedly asked for detailed reports on each of the potential candidates. Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax boss Erik ten Hag are on the club’s wishlist.
Following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking in November after a run of five defeats in seven league matches, Michael Carrick took over the reins temporarily. A week later, Ralf Rangnick was appointed the interim manager, with the German set to take up a consultancy role after the season.
Under Rangnick, Manchester United have looked confused at times, with the current set of players seemingly ill-fit to adapt to the German tactician’s brand of high-intensity football. While Manchester United have barely lost under him, there is a clear indication that the squad needs a major overhaul if the Red Devils are to reinstate their position in the top echelons of English football.
With a crucial summer transfer window coming up, the Manchester United board is desperate to identify a permanent manager soon enough. An early appointment would give both the manager and the board time to build camaraderie and plan for the future. The report claims that both Pochettino and ten Hag are on top of Manchester United’s wishlist, but other options are being considered as well.
Pochettino’s PSG future majorly depends on the club’s UEFA Champions League fortunes. They enjoy a 1-0 lead over Real Madrid in the Round of 16 of the competition, but a second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu awaits them. Zinedine Zidane is waiting in the wings too, and is reportedly the favourite to take over at the club if they sack Pochettino.
Erik ten Hag, on the other hand, could be a tad easier to get as reportedly, he has a much lower release clause in his contract with the Dutch club. But Ajax’s progression in the Champions League this season could play a role as well. Manchester United football director John Murtough is heading the search for the club’s next manager.
