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    Manchester United news: Players split over potential appointment of 'underwhelming' Erik Ten Hag

    Planet Sport writerStaff Writer5 April 2022
    Erik Ten Hag appears top of Manchester United's managerial list

    Erik Ten Hag appears top of Manchester United's managerial list

    Erik Ten Hag appears the favourite to succeed Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford this summer, but while the Dutchman is the fan favourite, it seems the players are less pleased.

    After starting the season strongly, Manchester United's campaign quickly descended into chaos, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacked and Ralf Rangnick appointed an interim manager to try and clean up the mess.

    That hasn't exactly gone to plan, and with a new manager desperately needed in the summer, United have seemingly wittled it down to two options.

    The first is current PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino, who could make a return to the Premier League after failing to live up to the Parisian side's Champions League aspirations.

    The other is current Ajax manager Erik Ten Hag, whose work in the Netherlands has caught the eye of many top European clubs over the last few seasons.
    Erik Ten Hag, Ajax, manager
    Ten Hag appears to be the favourite among United fans, with supporters wanting a fresh start and a clear sense of playing style.
    However, reports emerging on Tuesday morning suggest that the Old Trafford dressing room would consider Ten Hag's appointment "underwhelming".
    The club held talks with the Ajax boss last week as part of their interview process, which saw the 52-year-old become a favourite among the United heirarchy.
    Ten Hag also appeared to show interest in the move during his press conference earlier this week. When questioned on the Manchester United speculation, he replied:
    "Everyone knows each other in the industry, There are always talks with representatives from other clubs, that's normal.
    "Manchester United is a great club with great fans. But I can only repeat myself: My full focus is completely on Ajax. We are already planning for the new season."

    Should Ten Hag be given the reins in the summer, current manager Rangnick, who is heading into a advisory role for the Red Devils next season, believes it could take "two or three" transfer windows to fix the current squad.

    Following United's disheartening 1-1 draw with Leicester last Saturday, the German interim coach said:

    "Those two teams [Liverpool and Manchester City] have been built together and recruited over a period of five or six years, all of them under the premise of 'how do the coaches want to play?
    "It takes the right decisions and where you want to go to, what kind of players, what kind of manager, and then in every transfer window try to get the best possible.
    "This is possible. This is not rocket science. It has to be done and if that happens it does not necessarily need three or four years, maybe two or three transfer windows, then the situation could be different."

    READ MORE: Is Frank Lampard the worst manager to emerge from a host of former Chelsea player-turned-bosses?

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