A major European newspaper claims that a “special” manager is being talked up as Manchester United’s potential next boss after Erik ten Hag.
Erik ten Hag under pressure at Man Utd
United’s current boss finds himself under enormous pressure to keep his job beyond the summer, with his side continuing to struggle this season. They are now languishing in sixth place and 12 points adrift of Aston Villa in fourth, with Champions League qualification looking close to impossible.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear that he is going to be ruthless since becoming part owner of the Red Devils, and it looks as though he is already considering potential candidates to replace Ten Hag if things don’t drastically improve.
Impressive Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has been linked with coming in, guiding his current team to within touching distance of promotion from the Championship to the Premier League this season. The 37-year-old is not only a big talent, but he also has ties with United, managing the Under-18s and also being assistant manager for a period in the past.
Former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter is also seen as an option to take over at Old Trafford soon, with journalist Ben Jacobs saying: “One is Graham Potter, who couldn’t handle the Chelsea dressing room for various reasons, perhaps some not in his control, but is still highly thought of after his time at Brighton. INEOS liked Potter with a view to Nice long before the investment was completed at Manchester United, and that’s why he’s been linked.”
It remains to be seen what decision will be made with Ten Hag – Ratcliffe could yet decide that he is the right man for the job if the rest of the season goes well – but another name has now been thrown into the mix.
Man Utd links to “special” manager heating up
According to a front page report from Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester United see Bologna manager Thiago Motta as an option to replace the Dutchman in the near future, and the links are gathering pace in Italy.
It does look as though there is more hype than anything surrounding the update however, with the report admitting that no concrete interest from the Red Devils has emerged and it could just be a case of using a huge club’s name to drum up interest elsewhere.
Should Motta become a genuine managerial option for United this summer, or even before then, he would be an exciting candidate, considering what an excellent job he has done at Bologna to date.
The 41-year-old has been hailed as a “special” manager by journalist James Horncastle, and his team sit fourth in Serie A, as they close in on a place in next season’s Champions League. A recent report has claimed that internal talks have happened within United, no doubt involving Ratcliffe, and he is one of Europe’s most exciting young bosses currently.
Related
Ratcliffe eyes Man Utd move for £75k-p/w “complete” star amid FFP concerns
The United owner could look to take advantage of a worrying situation.
Motta prefers to play a possession-based 4-2-3-1 formation, with a report on his tactics from the Coaches’ Voice adding the system “delivers more fluidity, despite still working to an overall structure”, and he would represent a vibrant choice to come in and be an upgrade on Ten Hag.
