Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is under a lot of pressure, and he could be shown the door at the end of the season in favour of Gareth Southgate.
According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United want Gareth Southgate as Erik ten Hag’s replacement, and they have already opened discussions with the 53-year-old England international manager.
Southgate is reportedly a priority target for the Premier League club, and it remains to be seen whether they can secure an agreement with him. The agreement will see the 53-year-old take over as the Manchester United manager after the European championships.
Manchester United believe that he is the ideal candidate to steady the ship after the departure of the Dutch manager. Erik ten Hag has been backed significantly in the transfer market, but he has failed to get his squad firing.
Most of his big money signings have flopped, and Manchester United have been quite disappointing this season. The Red Devils are set to miss out on Champions League qualification and for a club of their stature, it would be a devastating blow.
Will Southgate be a gamble for Manchester United?
Southgate has done a recent job as the manager of the England national team, guiding them to the semi-finals (2018) and the quarter-finals (2022) of the last two World Cups and the final of UEFA Euro 2020.
However, he has not proven himself as a serial winner at the club level. So, his appointment for Manchester United could prove to be a gamble. At Old Trafford, he will be expected to turn things around immediately and make an instant impact. A club of their stature is expected to win trophies every season, and it will be interesting to see if Southgate can take on that pressure and deliver.
Manchester United have managed to reach the FA Cup final this season, and they will take on cross-town rivals Manchester City. It will be interesting to see if they can win that and give ten Hag another opportunity to salvage his job.
Meanwhile, the opportunity to manage one of the biggest clubs in the world will be quite tempting for Southgate, and it remains to be seen whether he is ready to abandon his post as the manager of the England national team and move into club management.
