Manchester United are keen to bring forward their next managerial appointment amid worries their failure to act could have a knock-on affect on their summer transfer business.
Some individuals around the club are reportedly worried the uncertainty over their new manager could see them lose ground in the pursuit of summer targets. With Champions League football far from guaranteed next season, a domestic setback could leave the Red Devils at a disadvantage when it comes to recruiting the players they need.
Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag remain in contention to take over as Rangnick's permanent successor, with the former potentially moving closer to a Paris Saint-Germain exit after a humbling loss at Monaco on Sunday. The former Spurs boss described his team's performance as "unacceptable" but still hopes to be in Paris next season.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has also been linked with the post, though the German appears to be happy in west London despite the uncertainty engulfing the club. Nevertheless, with two leading candidates, United are hopeful of settling on the next permanent boss much sooner than anticipated.
According to The Athletic, United want to make the appointment in the coming weeks and "ideally by the end of March," rather than waiting until the end of the season. "That's why they were speeding up the process... meeting candidates, whittling down their shortlist and hoping to get a chosen candidate in place as soon as possible," correspondent David Ornstein told Sky Sports.
The goal for United, according to reports, was to ensure the next manager can be "a key part of the decision-making process" going into the summer. The club have been tipped to make wholesale changes over the summer, with a number of departures expected as well as some new additions.
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Manchester United have five senior players out of contract at the end of the season, but the exodus isn't expected to end there. Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard have all been tipped to leave, while Juan Mata and Lee Grant could follow the trio out.
The likes of Dean Henderson and Eric Bailly have also been reported to be unhappy at Old Trafford after receiving limited minutes this season. Limited involvement also played a part in loan exits for the likes of Anthony Martial and Andreas Pereira over the last 12 months, and further permanent exits could follow.
Harry Kane continues to be linked with an Old Trafford, particularly if it offers the England striker the chance of a reunion with Pochettino. There could also be changes in goal, with Sevilla's Yassine Bounou touted as a potential longer-term replacement for David de Gea.
