“Ineos faces pivotal decision under new Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe regarding Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have to make a critical choice on Erik ten Hag’s future in the coming months.
Manchester United is sixth in the Premier League table, 11 points behind the top four and six behind Tottenham in fifth, despite having played one game more. They are also out of Europe and face a tough FA Cup clash with Liverpool this month.
Some will claim that much of United’s problems have been outside Ten Hag’s control, with troubles both on and off the pitch, including sagas involving Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho, as well as a lengthy injury list that would have tested any manager. It may also be argued that the Dutchman deserves the opportunity to work within a proper football framework, with major changes envisaged by Ratcliffe.
But the expectations at Old Trafford are high, and after placing third last season, United have regressed significantly, and with Ratcliffe and his Ineos group’s big objectives, many are asking whether Ten Hag will fit into their vision. Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi is one of the names being considered to replace the former Ajax manager.
The Italian has led the Seagulls into Europe for the first time in their history, as they prepare to face Roma in the Europa League’s final 16. They also advanced to the FA Cup semi-finals last season, losing to United on penalties at Wembley.
However, Brighton, like Ten Hag’s team, has recently regressed, albeit not as dramatically. De Zerbi’s team has won only five of their previous 21 league games and has dropped to ninth place in the table, meaning they will miss out on Europe as things stand.
It should also be emphasised that De Zerbi does not usually stick around. His nearly three-year stint at Sassuolo is the longest he has ever stayed at one club, having previously spent just over a year at Shakhtar Donetsk and even shorter time at Benevento and Palermo in Italy.
Granted, many of those short tenures were due to him moving on to bigger and better possibilities, with Palermo being the only club to fire him. However, a difficult second season at the Amex suggests that his techniques may be fading on the Brighton squad after only 18 months in command.
De Zerbi would have more resources and the opportunity to work with better players at United, but his struggles at Brighton are a caution sign. If catching up with Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal will require the patience Ratcliffe has requested, is there any certainty that De Zerbi will be around long enough to make the necessary changes?
