Erik ten Hag urged to avoid Manchester United by Louis van Gaal

Louis van Gaal has cautioned Erik ten Hag from joining ‘commercial club’ Manchester United, as chatter continues over his potential appointment.

Manchester United may be closing in on the appointment of Ajax boss Erik ten Hag as their new full-time manager from next season onwards. Although nothing has been agreed upon yet, there has been chatter about the Dutchman getting the job.

The club have been urged to wrap up Erik ten Hag’s appointment, although the suspicion is that some key factors are yet to be ironed out. The Dutchman remains the firm favourite to take the job up, as he competes with many big names, including Mauricio Pochettino.

If appointed, Erik ten Hag certainly has plenty of work to do before re-establishing Manchester United at the top of the pile. The Red Devils have been dismal and inconsistent, crashing out of every competition they have played in this season, with a top-four place the only relevant target remaining.

While the Ajax boss remains a favourite, recent reports insist he is irked by their lack of progress in offering a contract. While most fans and pundits have been supportive of the idea of appointing Erik ten Hag, former Manchester United boss Loius van Gaal thinks otherwise.

Goal.com picked up quotes from the Netherlands manager’s press conference, where he controversially referred to Manchester United as a ‘commercial club’. The Dutchman warned the Ajax boss against joining the Red Devils, suggesting he should sign for a ‘football club’ instead.

Van Gaal said, “Erik ten Hag is a great coach, and that is always good for Manchester United, but Manchester United is a commercial club, which is a difficult choice for a coach. He would be better going to a football club. I’m not going to advise him, he can call me himself. But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club.”

Van Gaal is vastly experienced and even had a two-year stint at Manchester United that did not end on the best note. And supporters will be hoping his comments do not deter ten Hag from joining the club. If Manchester United fail to sign the Ajax boss, the Premier League giants have other alternatives to consider.

However, as things stand, ten Hag is the top choice to become Manchester United’s next manager, although, in football, plenty of twists are always possible.