Ten Hag to Remain Man Utd Manager After Review

Erik Ten Hag will remain as the manager of Manchester United following a post-season review conducted by the club's board. Discussions are now underway to extend Ten Hag's contract, which is entering its final season.

The review was initiated immediately after the FA Cup final. Prior to the match against Manchester City at Wembley, reports suggested Ten Hag would be sacked regardless of the result. However, United's 2-1 victory led the club's hierarchy to approach the review more positively.

"Constructive conversations" have taken place regarding the review's outcome, and all possibilities were considered. The clear preference emerged for the 54-year-old Dutchman to remain in charge. Ten Hag is pleased with the outcome, despite some frustration over the time taken for the decision.

United believe that two weeks is a reasonable period to conduct a thorough assessment, especially given it is the first season under new ownership. Thomas Tuchel reportedly spoke with new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe last week but ruled himself out, while interest in Mauricio Pochettino also cooled. Other names linked with the job included Graham Potter, Thomas Frank, Roberto de Zerbi, and England boss Gareth Southgate, although no formal contact was made with Brentford regarding Frank, and Southgate's commitments made an appointment unlikely.

Ten Hag has been on holiday in Ibiza with his family. United finished eighth last season, their lowest position in the Premier League era, and suffered the most injuries, with 45 separate cases recorded. Ten Hag often cited this for some below-par performances.

Ten Hag joined United in summer 2022, becoming the club's fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. He previously spent four-and-a-half successful years at Ajax, winning three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups. In his debut season at United, he led the club to third place in the Premier League and to the EFL Cup and FA Cup finals. United won the EFL Cup in February 2023, defeating Newcastle, but lost to Manchester City in the FA Cup final three months later.

The 2023-24 season was challenging, with an early exit from the Champions League after finishing bottom of their group. United started poorly with six defeats in their opening 10 games, including losses to Galatasaray and Bayern Munich. Despite winning the FA Cup, they only secured five wins in their final 12 matches across all competitions.

Ratcliffe's Ineos group purchased a 27.7% stake in United in December, and new director Sir David Brailsford has since conducted a review of football operations at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe, 71, hinted at retaining Ten Hag in January, stating, "In the last 11 years, Manchester United have had a lot of coaches and nobody has been very successful in that environment. That says to me there is something wrong with the environment."

With Ten Hag confirmed to stay, United can now focus on rebuilding and exploring the transfer market. Last summer, Ten Hag was supported with the signings of Andre Onana, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund.

During his tenure, Ten Hag has dealt with numerous off-field issues. Mason Greenwood joined Getafe on loan after an internal investigation suggested his future lay away from Old Trafford, and winger Antony was given leave following allegations from a former girlfriend, which he denies. Jadon Sancho was dropped from the squad early in the season after refusing to apologize for claiming he had been made a "scapegoat."

United bosses took their time deciding whether to retain Ten Hag after a turbulent campaign. Initial assessments by Ineos indicated a proper evaluation of Ten Hag's performance was difficult due to insufficient club structures. Despite a near-collapse in April, United's strong finish, including a victory over City in the FA Cup final, secured Ten Hag's position.

Ten Hag is among only four United managers to win trophies in successive seasons, which the club's hierarchy acknowledges. They also recognize his role in developing youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who will participate in Copa America and Euro 2024 for Argentina and England, respectively.

It is expected that Ten Hag will benefit from a revised sporting structure, eventually involving Dan Ashworth as sporting director, Jason Wilcox as football director, and Omar Berrada as chief executive.