Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not axe Erik ten Hag in the short term and will give the Dutchman until the end of the season to prove himself.
According to a report on Give Me Sport, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not find ways to sack Erik ten Hag as one of his first orders of business. The new £1.3 billion investor in Manchester United will instead give the Dutchman until the end of the season to confirm his credentials before deciding on the next course of action.
Erik ten Hag under tremendous pressure
If the stunning draw away at Anfield brought some relief to Erik ten Hag, the loss to West Ham put him back under the scanner. The Dutchman has come under immense pressure at various stages of the current season, as many are already calling for his head.
Persistent rumours are circulating in the media that Manchester United could sack the Dutchman in favour of a new face to lead the team. With their position in the table, the Red Devils can still fight it out and salvage a dreadful season.
While many have already ruled them out of the top four race, their elimination from the Champions League and the whole of Europe caused further distress to their manager. However, with the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as a 25% stakeholder in the club, changes are afoot.
According to reports, the British Billionaire, who spent a whopping £1.3 billion to acquire the 25% stake in the club and control of sporting operations, might sack Ten Hag. He has developed some ideas about the managerial change, with Graham Potter a reported choice of Sir Ratcliffe.
There are also rumours about Julen Lopetegui being in contention for the job, but for now, Ten Hag’s position remains safe. However, with more bad results, this list could keep on growing with more names added as a replacement for the Dutchman.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe will stick with Ten Hag.
The report states Sir Ratcliffe will not make a short-term call on Ten Hag and will give the manager until the end of the campaign to prove his worth. The Dutchman did steer Manchester United back into the Champions League places last season and even won a trophy.
Many still keep faith in the Dutchman, and now one can count Sir Ratcliffe in the same boat. The British Billionaire, with his newfound power at Manchester United, will make some changes in the background. He wants to bring a sporting director as his first order of business at the club, as Dan Ashworth is the favourite for the role.
There are unclear messages on how the January window will go, but Ten Hag could have funds available to strengthen his squad. The Dutchman’s position remains safe for now, but he will come under acute scrutiny and judged over the minutest things between now and the end of the season.
