United have got their man
Erik ten Hag will become the next manager of Manchester United, the club announced on Thursday.
The 52-year-old will leave his position as Ajax manager at the end of the season to take charge at Old Trafford, where he will replace interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
He has signed a deal until 2025 and will be joined alongside Mitchell van der Gaag, who will become his new assistant manager.
Director of football John Murtough said: “During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.
“In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that.
“We wish Erik the best of luck as he focuses on achieving a successful end to the season at Ajax and look forward to welcoming him to Manchester United this summer.”
United stepped up their pursuit of a new permanent manager over the course of the last few weeks, with Ten Hag and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino both seen as frontrunners for the position.
Ten Hag gets the job despite admiration for Pochettino
The Dutchman has been in charge at Ajax for five years. Despite operating on a fraction of the budget of some of Europe’s other top clubs, they have been regulars in the Champions League, where they again reached the knockout stages this season.
Pochettino, meanwhile, has endured a difficult season at PSG. Despite also reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, his side were eliminated by Real Madrid, with supporters venting their anger at Neymar, Lionel Messi and some of their other stars in the next home game.
This, coupled with the perceived difficulty in negotiating his release with PSG, is thought to have encouraged United to move for Ten Hag, who held discussions with the club’s hierarchy in March.
Rangnick expected to move into consultancy role
Rangnick, who was named interim boss after the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is expected to move into a consultancy role with United when Ten Hag assumed control.
The German’s arrival in late November failed to spark a significant upturn in United’s form. As well as losing ground in the race for a top-four finish, United were eliminated from the FA Cup by Middlesbrough in the fourth round, and also went out of the Champions League to Atletico Madrid in the last 16.
Ten Hag faces a difficult task as he begins life at United, with Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard expected to be two of several members of the first team squad to leave the squad over the summer.
