Erik ten Hag 'lined up for next job' ahead of Manchester United decision

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders are on Ajax's list of potential new managers, according to reports. Alex Kroes, Ajax's new chief executive, is looking for a replacement for interim coach John van 't Schip.

Lijnders, who plans to leave Liverpool when Jurgen Klopp steps down at the end of the season, is seen as the most likely choice. The Dutchman has only been a full-time coach briefly but had been tipped to possibly replace Klopp in the dugout at Anfield.

However, insiders at Ajax have said that Kroes hasn't ruled out offering Ten Hag a way out of Old Trafford as well, the Mirror reports. Ajax, now fifth in the Eredivisie, are not willing to pay compensation in their hunt for a new manager.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe will decide on Ten Hag's United future at the end of the season. The Manchester Evening News understands Ineos have analysed potential replacements for Ten Hag should they decide a change of manager is required in the coming months, with Brighton coach Roberto de Zerbi understood to be of interest.

Ten Hag led Ajax to three consecutive Dutch titles and nearly took them to the 2019 Champions League final. Despite a strong first season at United, where he secured Champions League qualification and won the Carabao Cup, he has struggled to build on this success.

Meanwhile, Lijnders, 41, has established himself as a capable No.2 under Klopp but wants another crack at a senior job after a disastrous five-month stint as coach of Dutch club NEC Nijmegen in 2018. Klopp has handed him the first-team reigns for Carabao Cup games and Liverpool have lifted