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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Fabrizio Romano

Manchester United hold talks with Ajax’s Erik ten Hag in manager search

The Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag pictured before his team’s Champions League game at Benfica last month.
The Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag pictured before his team’s Champions League game at Benfica last month. Photograph: Mário Cruz/EPA

Manchester United have held talks with Erik ten Hag as they continue their search for a manager. The Ajax head coach is one of several candidates on the shortlist to take over from Ralf Rangnick in the summer.

Ten Hag asked about United’s budget and plans for the future during an interview this week. The 52-year-old has improved his English since an interview with Tottenham last spring – to a level that would not be a barrier from United’s perspective – and feels ready to take on a Premier League challenge after more than four years at Ajax.

He has previously been in charge of Utrecht, Bayern Munich II and Go Ahead Eagles in a managerial career that started 10 years ago. Ajax are two points clear of PSV at the top of the Eredivisie as Ten Hag pursues a second league title in a row and a third in four seasons. His team were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Benfica last week.

United will speak to other candidates, including Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino. The former Tottenham manager is under pressure after four defeats in his past six matches, Ligue 1 losses to Nantes, Nice and Monaco coming either side of a Champions League exit against Real Madrid.

Rangnick is in interim charge until the end of the season. The club have gone out of the FA Cup and Champions League on his watch, leaving the focus is on trying to finish in the top four. United are four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal having played one game more.

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