Austrian FA denies approaching Man Utd boss Ralf Rangnick for national team role

The Austrian Football Association has denied meeting Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick for talks over their national team vacancy.

Reports in Austria said the federation’s sports director Peter Schottel flew to Manchester on Monday to discuss the position with Rangnick.

But the Austrian FA issued a statement on Wednesday, posting on Twitter: “Clarification: There was no meeting between OFB sports director Peter Schottel and Ralf Rangnick, coach of @ManUtd.”

Austria parted company with manager Franco Foda following their World Cup play-off semi-final defeat by Wales last month.

Rangnick, the former Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig manager, replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on an interim basis at Old Trafford in November.

The 63-year-old German has struggled to oversee an improvement in performances and results, with United slipping to seventh in the Premier League and exiting the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage.

Rangnick is due to start a two-year consultancy role at United this summer.

Paris St Germain’s former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax boss Erik ten Hag are the favourites to succeed Rangnick in the dugout.

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