Man Utd: Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘decides on next exit’ as Erik ten Hag agreement reached | Football | Sport
Scrutiny on Ten Hag’s position intensified on Thursday night as he watched his side concede 100th and 101st-minute goals to collapse to a 4-3 defeat against Chelsea.
Five days before the disaster at Stamford Bridge, United squandered a 96th-minute lead to draw 1-1 against Brentford across west London.
It has left the Red Devils all but out of the race for a Champions League spot. Aston Villa are 11 points ahead in fourth, while fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur have a nine-point cushion.
However, despite an expectation that Ten Hag’s job would become untenable without a top-five finish, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
According to The Athletic, INEOS don’t view Champions League qualification as pivotal to the Dutchman’s hopes of remaining in the dugout.
United’s new owners will reportedly base their decision on performances and results, although neither have been up to standard this season, which is why Ten Hag is under such pressure.
Previous managers since Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2013 retirement have been dismissed for failing to qualify for the Champions League, but Ratcliffe is taking a fresh approach.
The report adds that Ten Hag is open to changing his role from manager to head coach and working as part of a new-look football structure below a sporting director.
Once Ashworth arrives from Newcastle United, it’s claimed that current football director Murtough will depart Old Trafford rather than accept a lesser role.
He will continue in his current role until United agree compensation with Newcastle or Ashworth serves his gardening leave before making way.
Jason Wilcox is expected to land in M16 from Southampton earlier after resigning as sporting director at St Mary’s to become United’s new technical director.
It’s claimed he will work closely with Ten Hag while providing a link to the football hierarchy and acting as a bridge between the first team and academy setup.
United are said to hope they can strike a compensation agreement with Southampton in the near future in a move that would mean a change in title for current technical director, Darren Fletcher.
Ten Hag looks likely to serve a third season as manager, though, unless a disappointing week in the capital unravels into a messy end to the campaign.
