Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Man Utd chiefs 'want Erik ten Hag to stay' as board face crunch talks about sacking boss
Under-pressure Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag recently delivered a crucial FA Cup victory.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag reportedly still has backers from within the club’s hierarchy, despite widespread reports that the Dutchman was set to be sacked regardless of the result of the FA Cup final. Ten Hag led the Red Devils to an impressive 2-1 victory at Wembley over neighbours Manchester City, forcing many to reconsider whether he should be dismissed.
The Independent claim that prominent figures within the football leadership group at Old Trafford still support Ten Hag, with the FA Cup win boosting their arguments that the former Ajax boss is the right man to lead the club forward.
INEOS chiefs, led by chairman and CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are also aware that sacking Ten Hag could be an unpopular decision among the fanbase after two domestic cup trophies in his two years in charge.
Ten Hag has been compared internally to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, whose first full year in charge at the Emirates was deemed similar to his second at United - an eighth-placed finish and a cup win.
The board are set for crunch talks in the coming days concerning Ten Hag’s future, with a ‘cold and holistic’ decision aimed to be made in the same vein that INEOS aim to run the club moving forward.
However, with significant backing for Ten Hag, calls to sack the 54-year-old no longer hold the same weight they previously did before a convincing win over Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Decision-makers INEOS are not in a 50/50 split over Ten Hag, but a significant amount of support within their ranks is complicating the matter further. Sir Dave Brailsford is also campaigning for Gareth Southgate to take over, though he has confirmed that no discussions will take place before the culmination of England’s Euro 2024 campaign.
On the eve of United’s trip to Wembley, reports claimed that the club were preparing to sack Ten Hag even if they secured an unlikely win over City. Despite plaguing preparation for the cup final, the Dutchman insisted that his sole focus was on the match, though that will soon change to questioning how much support he has from the higher-ups.
Don't miss...
Man Utd loanee admits he's in the dark over his future after FA Cup win [TRANSFERS]
Pep Guardiola admits Man City players could quit club after Man Utd loss [INTERVIEW]
Man Utd may already have their 'next Kobbie Mainoo' after winning the FA Cup [LATEST]
"I don't know,” Ten Hag told the BBC when asked about his future. “The only thing I’m doing is preparing my team, and developing my team. This is a project for me. When I came in I can say it was a mess. Now we are better. We are not where we want to be.
"Football is about winning trophies. I want to play the best football, dynamic, attacking football but in the end, you have to win games and trophies. That's the mentality we brought in. This was our one opportunity and we did it. I'm very proud of the players and staff."