Ralf Rangnick agrees with Jurgen Klopp about Erik ten Hag amid Manchester United links

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has emerged as the favourite to become Manchester United's next permanent manager.

As revealed by the Manchester Evening News , the Dutchman is United's preferred candidate to succeed Ralf Rangnick at the end of the season and lead the next chapter in the club's history. The 52-year-old has, like Paris Saint-Germain chief Mauricio Pochettino, been closely linked with the job for several months and is a popular choice amongst the fans.

Since landing the Ajax job back in December 2017, Ten Hag has done some stellar work at the Johan Cruyff Arena, firmly putting the Dutch giants back on the map. They have won two domestic league titles and excelled in the Champions League, particularly in 2018/19 when they reached the semi-finals.

READ MORE: Manchester United might already know which youngster deserves a debut next

Although managing a club of United's stature would be a step up for the Dutchman, he has earned the opportunity to prove himself at the next level. He has achieved what he has at Ajax by playing good football and developing almost every player that he has worked with.

It is why, earlier this month, he was lavished with praise by Rangnick. The German was asked to issue an update on United's search for his successor and was, as expected, asked to comment on links connecting Ten Hag with Old Trafford.

"I don't know him, to start with, as a person," Rangnick told Sky Sports. "Obviously, I have seen the development at Ajax since he's been there, I know a little bit about his work when he was with Bayern Munich and that he is one of the top coaches in Europe, that's obvious, but there are a few other top coaches. As I said, we haven't spoken about any new manager so far, therefore, we