Man Utd news: Erik ten Hag drops hint on future after confirming Sir Jim Ratcliffe talks | Football | Sport
Erik ten Hag has enough confidence he will be Manchester United manager next season that he plans to jet off on holiday after Saturday’s FA Cup final. The Dutchman will enjoy a “deserved” break after confirming he has already held an end-of-season review with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
Ten Hag was expected to sit down for crunch talks with United’s new-look hierarchy following a disastrous second season in charge, which could be somewhat salvaged by winning a 13th FA Cup.
But he has suggested he’s free to enjoy his summer after facing Manchester City at Wembley Stadium for the second successive year.
United will aim to avenge last season’s narrow 2-1 defeat in the first-ever Manchester derby in an FA Cup final, the second part of City matching the club’s 1999 treble.
Like London buses, fans haven’t had to wait long for a rematch after going decades without such an occasion.
This year, United can prevent City becoming the first team to win the Premier League and FA Cup double in back-to-back seasons a week after winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
All focus will be on themselves, though, as they attempt to end a woeful season on the highest of highs against their bitter rivals.
But even a shock triumph may not save Ten Hag after he confirmed the review from which INEOS will decide whether he is the right man for the job has already taken place.
Despite overseeing United’s worst-ever Premier League and Champions League campaigns, the 54-year-old has expressed his confidence that he will remain at the helm.
“No [I won’t hold talks with INEOS after the final], we already did, and on Sunday, I will go on holiday. I think I deserve it,” Ten Hag said.
When asked whether he had received assurances he would keep his job, the United boss added: “It’s not necessary, we will go for next season.”
Ten Hag has credit in the bank from a successful first season in charge. He guided United to third in the Premier League, ended a six-year trophy drought with the Carabao Cup and reached the FA Cup final.
Lifting a second major trophy in as many years only to be dismissed would raise eyebrows despite the Red Devils’ woes since August.
But Ten Hag has consistently pointed towards the injury crisis that has plagued Old Trafford this term, which has undoubtedly contributed towards the team’s fortunes.
No Premier League team suffered more separate cases of injury, and he fielded over 20 different defensive combinations.
Whether he has done enough to convince INEOS to hand him the third and final year of his contract remains to be seen. A defeat against City could be the final nail in the coffin, but he doesn’t appear to think so.