Erik ten Haag has been sacked by Manchester United and everyone saw it coming. It was never going to work out. He was set up for failure, just like eight others before him after the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. Haag's team did show moments of brilliance but those were few and far between, and never at any point during his tenure did the club seem to be heading towards the glory of the past.
Things took a turn for the worse this season, where Manchester United managed to only win three of the nine opening games. The 2-1 defeat to West Ham proved to be the final nail in the coffin, and UK-based club finds itself in a territory of doubts and uncertainty, once again. While Ruud van Nisterlooy has been identified as a quick fix, till they find someone permanent, we’re taking a look at the top five contenders that Manchester United cant target:
From Xavi Hernandez to Gareth Southgate, 5 Frontrunners To Replace Erik ten Haag as the manager of Manchester United
Xavi Hernandez
If rumours are anything to go by, Manchester United's CEO Omar Berrada is already in talks with former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez. Xavi boasts an impressive resume, having won the La Liga title with the young guns of Barcelona, and helped the club come out of the financial turmoil without suffering a massive dent in their performance. The 44-year-old is an adherent of Pep Guardiola, whose methods have found great success in the Premier League.
Gareth Southgate
Notwithstanding the perennial frustration of English fans with Gareth Southgate over his adventurous style of play, there's a very interesting reason why the former England manager is a great choice for Manchester United. The club, under ten Haag, was plagued with defensive vulnerabilities, conceding goals for fun. You can trust Southgate to solidify their defence, which seems to be the need of an hour for the club.
Julian Nagelsmann
Former Bayern Munich coach Nagelsmann, who was abruptly dismissed in 2023, has now shifted his focus to the international stage, managing the German national team. He has successfully revived a once-struggling Mannschaft and is known for nurturing young talents and has his methods to work with the club on a shoestring budget.
Simone Inzaghi
Five days before Man Utd sacked Erik ten Haag, many reports mentioned that Italian mastermind Simone Inzaghi might leave Inter Milan to pursue Premier League dreams with Manchester United. In his three seasons at Inter, Inzaghi has won the Scudetto, two Coppa Italia trophies and reached the Champions League final in 2023.
Ruben Amorin
Sporting Lisbon's highly touted manager Ruben Amorim is on the verge of securing a move to one of Europe's top clubs, after breaking a 19-year-old trophy drought with Sporting Lisbon and leading them to another title next year. Amorim has attracted considerable interest from Manchester United, and as per some reports, the English club is in talk with Sporting Lisbon.
