Shock 'outsider named' as potential Erik ten Hag replacement at Manchester United

England manager Gareth Southgate could reportedly be considered as a potential successor to Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, should the Dutchman leave the club this summer.

Ten Hag, 54, is in his second season at Old Trafford but has come under intense scrutiny in recent months with United having suffered 11 defeats already in the Premier League, as well as being dumped out of both the Champions League and League Cup before Christmas. The Reds currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, an unfavourable 11 points off the top-four.

As a result, reports in recent weeks have claimed that he could face a fight to keep his job at the end of the season after the club's new minority shareholder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, seized control of football operations. 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.

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Earlier this week, Paul Scholes said he thinks Ten Hag's future has already been decided by Ratcliffe's Ineos, with United currently "a million miles away from a team that should be challenging for the league". Now, according to ESPN, Southgate has been named as one "outsider" who could be drafted into Old Trafford if Ten Hag was to be sacked at the end of the season and the former Crystal Palace and Aston Villa defender was ready to end his eight-year affiliation with the Three Lions after Euro 2024.

It is claimed that the 53-year-old former Middlesbrough star has enjoyed a "long-standing"