SIR ALEX FERGUSON has recommended a six-time title-winning manager to be Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United replacement, according to reports.
Ten Hag, 54, has faced increased scrutiny following the Red Devils’ 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham last Sunday.
Man Utd’s Ineos chiefs have so far opted to stick with the Dutchman.
But bad results in upcoming matches against Porto and Aston Villa could seal Ten Hag’s fate.
With pressure growing on their manager, United chiefs may already be looking elsewhere at potential replacements.
And reports in Italy claim that they have identified a former Juventus manager.
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According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Massimiliano Allegri has emerged as a key contender to land the role, should Ten Hag be axed.
They claim that the Italian, 57, has even been recommended by Ferguson – ahead of another contender like Thomas Tuchel.
Allegri has been out of work since being sacked just two days after winning the Coppa Italia with Juve back in May.
It’s claimed that he was involved in angry exchanges with officials, a reporter and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli after the 1-0 win over Atalanta – which largely contributed to him receiving the boot.
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Allegri managed AC Milan between 2010 and 2014, winning Serie A in the 2010-11 season.
He then coached Juventus between 2014 and 2019, before returning in 2021 to manage them for a further three years.
Why NOBODY is the right man to replace Erik ten Hag at Man Utd
SunSport’s DAVE KIDD says Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd is up… and explains what’s wrong with all the potential candidates to replace him.
THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.
And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.
If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.
The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.
He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.
None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.
Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.
Emery may well deliver the coup de grace to Ten Hag on Sunday — especially with Bruno Fernandes suspended and Kobbie Mainoo an injury doubt.
And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.
Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.
Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.
Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.
Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.
Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.
Thomas Tuchel would be a popular and gettable option but, despite being a fine coach and a very engaging man, he is considered something of a loose cannon.
Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.
Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.
Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.
Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.
Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.
So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.
The decorated coach won five Serie A titles with Juve, as well as five Coppa Italias.
He also reached two Champions League finals during his first stint in charge.
Gazzetta’s report also claims that Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi could be in the frame.
Inzaghi, 48, has managed Inter since 2021, winning the Serie A title last term to add to two Coppa Italia triumphs.
He also won the Coppa Italia during his previous term with Lazio.
‘I’M NOT ANXIOUS’
Ten Hag, meanwhile, has defiantly defended his position as United boss.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of tomorrow’s Europa League trip to Porto, Ten Hag said of his future: “I’m not thinking about it, I’m not anxious.
“We created a togetherness in the summer with the ownership and the leadership.
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“We made this agreement, and we were all behind it. We know the strategy [is to bring in] young players in a transition period.
“They also know in May in all my last six seasons there were always trophies and that is what we are aiming for.”
Ten Hag’s five worst defeats
ERIK TEN HAG has suffered some heavy defeats during his tenure as Manchester United manager.
5. Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd, November 2023
The damaging defeat saw the Red Devils dumped out of the Champions League.
4. Man Utd 0-3 Bournemouth, December 2023
It was the first time the Cherries had ever won at Old Trafford with the players being booed off.
3. Brentford 4-0 Man Utd, August 2022
Perhaps a sign of things to come, in Ten Hag’s second Premier League game, his side was dismantled by the Bees.
2. Crystal Palace 4-0 Man Utd, May 2024
The heavy defeat to the Eagles saw the Dutchman edge ever closer to the sack.
1. Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd, March 2023
Man Utd were embarrassed at the hands of their bitter rivals as they crumbled at Anfield as it was the club’s worst defeat in 92 years.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
