Southgate backed to replace Ten Hag at Man Utd by Premier League winner

Suraj Radia

• 14 Jan 2024 12:51 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United could benefit from appointing Gareth Southgate to replace Erik ten Hag and the England boss would be unlikely to turn down the opportunity, according to Premier League winner Robert Huth.

Ten Hag has come under increased scrutiny during his second season at Old Trafford, having seen United suffer a humiliating group stage exit in the Champions League and a number of dismal losses in the league.

The club have stood by Ten Hag and new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe is not believed to be in any rush to appoint a new manager but Huth believes United could use Southgate to ‘tell it how it is’

“It massively depends on his workload, when you're an international manager you're not on the pitch every day and working quite as intimately with the players because you get a limited period of time with the players each break,” Huth told Instant Casino.

“If he does go back in that could be a massive shock to the system. Sometimes you need to be harsh and say it as it is. I don't know if that is what Manchester United need, because I just don't know where they are at the moment.

“They've had successful managers in the past, but they haven't worked out for whatever reason either. It is a difficult one to work out, but I am sure Gareth would go for it if the situation were to arise. Not many managers turn down Manchester United, that is for sure.”

Southgate likely to leave England role in 2024

Southgate has been in charge of England since 2016, leading the national team to their most successful period of the century by finishing runners up in the 2020 European Championships and deep runs in the World Cup.

With his contract set to expire at the end of the year, this summer’s Euros are expected to be the last tournament Southgate will be in charge of and he has so far remained tight-lipped on his future.

Southgate had only had three years in club management with Middlesbrough before being appointed as England under-21 manager in 2013 and it remains to be seen whether he would be open to a return to the field for his next job.

Although he has odds of 16/1 to replace Ten Hag at Old Trafford, Southgate is unlikely to be considered a front runner for the role, with Zinedine Zidane considered the bookmakers’ favourite if a change was to be made.