- Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United may already have been decided
- Club is already considering potential successors in the run-up to the FA Cup final
- Has Chelsea offered Manchester United a way out of Erik ten Hag’s darkness through the departure of Mauricio Pochettino? – Listen to the It all starts! Podcast
Erik Ten Hag will learn his fate as Manchester United manager after today’s FA Cup final as expectations grow that he will be sacked.
Ten Hag maintained a defiant stance ahead of the big match against rivals Manchester City at Wembley, saying he is making plans for next season after meeting with co-owner Ineos.
But Mail Sport understands United are preparing for a change. They have spoken to Thomas Tuchel and representatives of Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, another target for Chelsea.
Mauricio Pochettino and Brentford’s Thomas Frank are among the other contenders, although Pochettino is reluctant to talk to United until he has agreed a payout with Chelsea.
Ten Hag is in a similar situation to his compatriot Louis van Gaal, who was sacked as United boss in 2016 after the FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace. United sources say a final decision on Ten Hag’s future will not be made until after today’s match. But the side were not surprised yesterday to hear reports that their manager will be sacked after two years in charge, regardless of today’s result.
Erik ten Hag’s future at Man United is looking increasingly in doubt ahead of the FA Cup final
The club’s owners are making plans for a future without the Dutchman and have held talks with potential successors (photo: Sir Jim Ratcliffe, right, and Sir Dave Brailsford, left)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has refused to give Ten Hag a public vote of confidence, and the United boss was asked if he plans to meet Ineos after the cup final. “No, we have already done that and I am going on holiday on Sunday, I deserve that,” Ten Hag replied. ‘There is no need (to have certainties), we are going for next season.
‘Of course we are together. Ineos have been part of this club since January and they want us to win trophies.’
This is Ten Hag’s second FA Cup final in a row and he claimed United can transform a ‘terrible’ season by avenging last year’s 2-1 defeat to City at Wembley.
“This club hasn’t won many trophies in the last 10 years,” said the 54-year-old, who won the Carabao Cup in his first season. ‘On Saturday we have a great chance to win another trophy, and a third final in two years is very good, I would say, because when I came in this club was not in a good state, not at all.
‘If we win we will be in a completely different place because then we will be in Europe and we will have a trophy again. We’ve improved a lot and if you look at all the injuries we’ve had, it’s been a terrible season for us.”
Ten Hag is convinced that United were superior to City in almost every department in last year’s final. “I have data and we were better than them on almost every occasion except possession,” he claimed. “All the other facts, like getting into the final third, creating chances, getting shots on target, higher xG (expected goals), every piece of data we were better than them.”
United will look to avenge their defeat to Man City in last season’s showpiece match at Wembley
Ten Hag insisted data suggested his side outperformed their bitter rivals in the 2023 final
Bruno Fernandes wants assurances that the club can realize his ambitions before agreeing to extend his current contract
Bruno Fernandes, meanwhile, insists he wants to stay at United provided the club can match his ambition. The captain cast doubt on his future at Old Trafford earlier this month, saying he would make a decision after playing for Portugal in the European Championship this summer.
United want Fernandes to stay and extend a £240,000-a-week contract that runs until June 2026 with the option of a further year, but the player wants assurances the club will challenge for top honours.
He said: ‘I love showing up at Old Trafford more than anything in the world. I don’t want to leave. This has always been my ultimate dream. I just want my expectations to match the club’s expectations.
“If you go talk to a fan, they’ll tell you the same thing.”