Manchester United are poised for talks with managerial candidate Graham Potter as rumours of Erik ten Hag’s departure picks momentum.
According to TEAMtalk, Erik ten Hag’s fate is decided at Manchester United, and it is a matter of finding the right candidate to replace him. Graham Potter is part of a small pool of managerial candidates INEOS have identified to replace the Dutchman, with the club poised for talks with the 49-year-old former Chelsea manager in the coming period.
Rumours of Erik ten Hag’s departure have picked momentum after Manchester United’s executive committee meeting. The media reports about his fate are mixed. Some tend to suggest the board is backing the manager, while others insist his fate has been decided, and it is only a matter of time. Either way, the manager’s future was a big topic of discussion.
The report on TEAMtalk has claimed that ten Hag will be gone in the coming period, and it is only a matter of finding the right candidate. Manchester United view Gareth Southgate as a strong candidate. But he might not be their top priority and might only come into the picture if they fail with other targets.
Thomas Tuchel is another candidate that INEOS consider a top target, and they even held talks in the summer. The former Chelsea boss is out of a job as things stand, and while he had reservations in the close season about replacing Ten Hag, he is now open to resuming talks with Manchester United to explore further.
Meanwhile, there is another candidate in the mix: Graham Potter, another former Chelsea manager. The 49-year-old has been without a job since leaving the Blues before the 2022/23 season ended. According to the report, he will be open to the opportunity, as talks are expected to commence between all parties regarding replacing Ten Hag.
Is Potter the right candidate to replace Erik ten Hag?
Erik ten Hag continues to boast about the two trophies he has managed to win as Manchester United boss. But the team’s league form has raised concerns. With the draw against Aston Villa, the Red Devils have accumulated only eight points after seven games, which is, incidentally, their worst-ever start to a season. Ten Hag happened to break his own record in that regard, as he had only nine points last season at this stage.
Hence, bringing someone like Potter will be a huge decision from INEOS, as the main criteria would be a guarantee to improve league form. While it is still early in the season, Manchester United are still expecting to finish in the top four and return to the UEFA Champions League, although that objective seems like a distant dream with Ten Hag at the helm. However, there are no guarantees that Potter will steady the ship.
