Manchester United report: Erik Ten Hag close to being announced as manager

Posted Tuesday, April 05, 2022 by fourfourtwo.com

Manchester United are reportedly set to confirm Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag as their next manager any day now

Manchester United are set to announce Erik Ten Hag in the next few weeks.

That's according to reports from CaughtOffside and Sky’s Angelo Mangiante that suggest the Ajax manager has edged ahead of Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino for the role and will be confirmed in a matter of time.

The 52-year-old has been manager of the Amsterdammers for five seasons now, having taken over from Peter Bosz following the Europa League final defeat to Manchester United in Stockholm. That, incidentally, was United's last trophy.

Ten Hag has won two titles while managing Ajax and led the four-time Champions League winners to the semi-finals of the competition in 2019. He joined from Utrecht, having propelled the minnows up the table and was at Bayern Munich II previous to that.

The Dutchman was the second-team coach in Bavaria at the same time that Pep Guardiola managed the first team, with the pair mirroring each other's styles. The Manchester City manager is said to be a role model for Ten Hag, who plays with a similar 4-3-3 and uses the same principles of positional play.

Ten Hag will have a busy job to do this summer as he looks to turn an underperforming Manchester United side back into a team that can challenge for the title. With the likes of Marcus Rashford, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire all linked with the exit door, there could be a big rebuild under way.

Harry Kane has been rumoured to be moving to Old Trafford, along with Ajax stars Jurrien Timber, Ryan Gravenberch and Antony.