Pep Guardiola: Man Utd target Erik Ten Hag could replace me at Man City

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester United managerial candidate Erik Ten Hag would make an excellent successor for him at Manchester City.

Ajax boss Ten Hag is understood to have held talks with United as the Old Trafford club look to appoint a new full-time manager for next season.

Yet the Dutchman, who did not deny he had spoken to United in an interview published on Friday, appears to be a man in demand with other clubs reportedly interested in acquiring his services.

Guardiola, who worked with Ten Hag at Bayern Munich, thinks he would even fit in well at the Etihad Stadium when the Spaniard eventually leaves.

The City manager, who is contracted until the end of next season, said at a press conference: “Are you asking me if Erik Ten Hag could be here? Definitely.

“A lot could be here and I think he could be one of the ones. For the way he approaches the game, definitely, definitely. I will say (it) to (director of football) Txiki (Begiristain) now!”

Guardiola’s comments come after Louis Van Gaal, the United boss from 2014-16, questioned whether his old club would be the right fit for his countryman Ten Hag.

Van Gaal, who is now the Holland national team coach, pointedly said Ten Hag “must choose a football club and not a commercial club” if he leaves Amsterdam this summer.

These remarks were dismissed on Friday by United’s interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who questioned why Van Gaal took on the Old Trafford post himself if he felt the club was too commercialised.

Rangnick said: “I think football worldwide, and even more so in the English Premier League, when any rich person or company can buy a club, as long as they pass the fit-and-proper person test, it’s a commercialised business.

“That’s for sure, no matter which club