Ed Woodward's successor to defy Man Utd players with his choice for new manager

Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold is set to snub several first team stars and pursue his own No.1 target to replace Ralf Rangnick at the end of the season.

Arnold has stepped into Ed Woodward’s shoes and will be tasked with the job of hiring Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s permanent successor, with Rangnick set to move into a consultancy role in the summer.

Reports earlier this week claimed that a clutch of first team players were championing the credentials of former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, who appears destined to leave PSG at the end of the season.

Arnold, however, according to The Sun, is said to favour the credentials of current Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who also seems likely to be on the move in the summer.

Rangnick is said to be in agreement with Arnold and the pair will pursue the 52-year-old who they view as the perfect candidate to restore United to their rightful place among the elite.

The interim boss’s is honeymoon period has long since ended and the German was left frustrated again on Saturday as Southampton became the latest side to profit from United’s inability to hold onto a lead.

Speaking after a 1-1 draw which put another dent in his side’s top four hopes, Rangnick said: ‘It was the third game we were 1-0 up and I don’t think anyone out there should believe that the players don’t care, that they like to experience things like that today. This is not the case.

‘The question is with the group of players we have, how do we get more compact, more nasty when defending the lead. This is the major issue but it’s not a question of the players not wanting to do that.

‘[The players] can be tough but the question is for what period of time and in which moments and if I see the game, the goal we