Manchester United are not expecting anything 'imminent' concerning their managerial situation after interviewing Ajax coach Erik ten Hag last week.
The Manchester Evening News revealed earlier this month Ten Hag is United's preferred candidate to become their next permanent manager, edging ahead of Mauricio Pochettino.
Ajax have refused to comment on Ten Hag's future and the Dutchman is out of contract in 2023. Pochettino is expected to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season and remains under consideration by United, with the Spain coach Luis Enrique and Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui regarded as outsiders.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was installed as the United permanent manager in the second week of the March internationals in 2019 and the MEN reported in January United intend to settle on their next manager before the end of the season.
United have effectively treated the March international fortnight as a transfer window to accelerate the process of identifying their next manager but the intention all along has been for Ralf Rangnick to see out the season as interim manager. United have fallen to sixth in the Premier League table and have nine more games to salvage fourth place and qualify for the Champions League next season.
Fourth-placed Arsenal are four points ahead of United and have a game in hand, with the teams due to meet at the Emirates Stadium on April 23.
Ten Hag has emerged as the popular pick among United fans in recent months and Pochettino's stock has sunk after PSG collapsed from a 2-0 aggregate lead with 29 minutes remaining of their last 16 tie with Real Madrid to lose 3-2. Richard Arnold, the new United chief executive, has regularly engaged with supporters through the fans' forum since Ed Woodward tendered his resignation in April and discusses other matters confidentially with members of the fans' advisory board.
Ajax's Champions League elimination on the same night as United's departure from the competition two weeks ago made an approach for Ten Hag inevitable and the clubs share a warm relationship due to the presence of Edwin van der Sar, the chief executive at Ajax.
Former United goalkeeper Van der Sar offered Donny van de Beek to United in 2020 to ensure Ajax obtained a respectable fee for the playmaker amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Ajax then approached the MEN about arranging for Van der Sar to write an open letter to United fans asking them to 'take good care' of Van de Beek.
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