Erik ten Hag teases next move amid Man Utd exit talk and makes contract admission
Erik ten Hag with Man Utd badge
Under-pressure Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has hinted he could return to Ajax if his Old Trafford spell ends this summer, while also speaking about his current contract.
Ten Hag arrived at Man Utd in summer 2022 to replace interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who had in turn succeeded from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Man Utd brought the Dutchman in after being impressed by the work he had done at Ajax, helping them win three Eredivisie titles and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Ten Hag had been hoping to instil a possession-based style on his new team, but he soon realised that was not possible with the players at his disposal.
Man Utd were unpredictable last season but did manage to win the League Cup, reach the FA Cup final and finish third in the Premier League.
Fast forward to the latter stages of the 2023-24 campaign, and Man Utd remain very unreliable. They count on brilliant individual performances and are still lacking the cohesiveness required to challenge the elite sides.
Ten Hag’s men may have reached the FA Cup final, but they have failed to get into the top-four places and have also been knocked out of both the Champions League and League Cup.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is currently weighing up whether to stick with the 54-year-old or bring in a new manager. Julen Lopetegui is reportedly ‘waiting’ for an offer from Ratcliffe, while Thomas Tuchel is eager to take charge of Man Utd.
Amid uncertainty over Ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford, the coach has been linked with a return to Ajax.
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In an interview with Viaplay, Ten Hag has fuelled those rumours by saying: “Contacts with Ajax? No. In the future, why not? It’s a fascinating club. I had [a] great time there.”
When asked about potentially being sacked by Ratcliffe, Ten Hag added: “I assume that I will be Manchester United manager next year.
“I signed a long-term deal consciously and I am not a person who walks away.”
Ten Hag’s Man Utd contract runs until June 2025. It will reportedly cost over £10m for Man Utd to axe Ten Hag and all of his coaching staff, something which is deeply concerning for Ratcliffe.
There are two other factors that could also save the manager his job. The first is that Ratcliffe has not been enthused by the potential replacements that are available.
Secondly, Ratcliffe feels it would be harsh to judge Ten Hag given all the problems with the Man Utd hierarchy that have been going on above him.