Manchester United will reportedly carry out another two rounds of interviews before deciding on their next permanent manager.
The Red Devils are currently on the hunt for a new boss after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last November. Interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who has won nine of his 20 games in charge, is expected to start a two-year consultancy job in the summer.
United's season isn't going to plan. They're sixth in the Premier League - four points behind Arsenal in fourth having played a game more - and failed to challenge in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Champions League. Their last major trophy was the Europa League in 2017.
Erik ten Hag has been interviewed for the United job. And, according to The Telegraph, the Ajax boss is now the "clear" favourite for the position, but United will carry out a second and final round of interviews before making their long-awaited decision.
The Red Devils have also spoken to Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino and another candidate, who is thought to be neither Spain's Luis Enrique nor Sevilla's Julen Lopetegui. Both coaches were previously in the running for the role.
Thomas Tuchel is another rumoured candidate, yet his availability remains unclear due to Chelsea's position. The Blues are currently operating under a special license amid the sanctions placed on owner Roman Abramovich, severely limiting their revenue streams.
Who should Manchester United appoint as their next manager? Let us know in the comments below!
Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government for allegedly having ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin, something which he denies. Russia are currently waging a violent war in Ukraine - a sovereign state - and have been cut off by many Western nations.
Tuchel will be unable to operate in the transfer market if Chelsea's special license remains in place. But the club is currently up for sale and it's hopeful a deal can be agreed before the summer, limiting United's hopes of landing Champions League winner Tuchel.
It's believed the Red Devils will not wait to see what happens with Tuchel and the chances of a straight shootout between Ten Hag and Pochettino is good.
PSG are reportedly willing to allow Pochettino to leave - without demanding a compensation fee - after failing to win the Champions League this term. Zinedine Zidane and Didier Deschamps are both being lined up as potential replacements for Pochettino.
Compensation is also not thought to be an issue when it comes to releasing Ten Hag from his contract but there are concerns over his CV. The Dutchman has previously coached Utrecht, Go Ahead Eagles and Bayern Munich's second team. Yet United have previously appointed big-name managers - such as Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho - to no avail.
Ten Hag plays an attractive brand of football - having previously worked under Pep Guardiola - and is a serial winner, lifting two Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups at Ajax. He also led them to within seconds of a Champions League final, conceding a last-minute goal to Tottenham in 2018-19. Ironically, Pochettino was in charge of Spurs.
