Current Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik ten Hag is emerging as the big favorite to become Manchester United’s next manager, which could end the hopes of Paris SG technician Mauricio Pochettino, British media say on Thursday.
The Daily Mail reports that United discussed with Ajax – whose chief executive is former Manchester goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar – late last week the terms of leaving Ten Hag, 52, whose contract ends at the end of next season.
According to the newspaper, Manchester would have to pay around 1.6 million pounds sterling (1.9 million euros) to secure the services of the Dutch technician, much less than what PSG could require to let Pochettino go, even if the rating of the Argentine technician could have fallen since the elimination of the Parisian club in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
According to The Independent newspaper, Ten Hag has already met with Manchester leaders to discuss his transfer and is said to have told his director of football, John Murtough, and technical director, Darren Fletcher, that he was considering a “five year project».
However, still according to The Independent, he would not have “totally packedMancunian officials, because of his lack of charisma. A point on which Pochettino would have a card to play, even if he was more discreet on the PSG bench than on that of Tottenham.
The BBC and the Mail say United, who have been coached on an interim basis by Germany’s Ralf Rangnick since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal in November, will make no immediate announcements as Ajax are still in contention for the title in the Dutch league with PSV Eindhoven.
Manchester United are currently seventh in the Premier League, three points behind Tottenham, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot.
