Manchester United managerial race down to Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino

Manchester United are at an advanced stage in their search for a new manager, with the final decision between Ajax coach Erik ten Hag and PSG’s Mauricio Pochettino.

Both are currently under contract at their respective clubs and focussed on winning their domestic league titles in the Netherlands and France. The Dutch Eredivisie concludes on May 15 and France’s Ligue 1 on April 30.

United’s football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher have had several rounds of meetings, which began six weeks ago following a period of detailed research and consultation on the United side, which included the views of several former United players.

After years of under achieving, United are determined to employ a manager who can make the club successful again.

In the meetings with managers or their representatives which followed, United discussed in detail the intentions and ideas of the candidates. Murtough and Fletcher know the importance of the appointment and wanted as much clarity as possible. When interviewing for the position of United’s interim manager last November, the meetings with candidates lasted up to two-and-a-half hours.

Chief executive while Richard Arnold will be guided primarily by Murtough and Fletcher from a football perspective and has now become involved in discussions and meetings around the two leading candidates. It is understood that both would like to manage Manchester United.

United fans favour Ten Hag, 52, who has done an excellent job at Ajax. In one poll on the United We Stand fanzine, 62 per cent went for the former Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich B, Utrecht and current Ajax manager, with 38 per cent preferring the former Espanyol, Southampton, Spurs and current PSG coach.

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