Manchester United chiefs are not entirely sold on Erik ten Hag after he walked them through his five-year vision for the club, according to reports.
Ajax boss Ten Hag is regarded as the front runner to become United's next permanent manager and underwent an interview with football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher in March. As reported by Mirror Football earlier this month, the Dutchman can be bought out of his contract this summer for just €2million (£1.68m).
This makes him a far cheaper option than Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino, who is the other leading contender for the Old Trafford dugout. However, the Red Devils hierarchy harbours doubts over Ten Hag's character and experience in the wake of his interview.
That is according to The Independent, which claims the 52-year-old outlined a five-year project with the immediate emphasis on improving the squad's physical conditioning. The report adds Ten Hag - in contrast to Pochettino - did not come across in a particularly charismatic manner, leaving United chiefs with similar doubts to the ones Tottenham had last summer.
Further, the Premier League giants are fully aware that managers arriving in England from the Eredivisie have a mixed record, which is said to have caused a split within the dressing room. To accompany his interview, Ten Hag reportedly unveiled a detailed document about the United squad with a strong focus on fitness.
In the dossier, Ten Hag claimed the Red Devils some distance from competing in the Champions League. He also identified a number of transfer targets ahead of the summer window, including some of his players at Ajax.
Who is the better fit for Manchester United: Erik ten Hag or M auricio Pochettino? Have your say in the comments!
United have a patchy history when it comes to making signings from the Dutch top flight having spent £25million and £35million on Memphis Depay and Donny van de Beek respectively. Nonetheless, there is no denying Ten Hag is the much more affordable option than Pochettino.
It could take a mammoth £25million outlay to prise the Argentine from PSG, even though his future at the Parc des Princes is uncertain following last month's dismal Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid. A change in the French club's leadership is expected at the end of the season and sporting director Leonardo could be a high-profile casualty of the shake-up.
That being said, PSG are hugely reluctant to appear weak in the face of United's approaches for their manager. Pochettino, like Ten Hag, has numerous supporters behind the scenes at Old Trafford but the report concludes there is no universally-popular option.
