INEOS choose Gareth Southgate to replace Erik ten Hag

Carlo Garganese

• 8 Oct 2024 10:30 BST
• 3 min read

High-ranking INEOS chiefs are pushing for Sir Jim Ratcliffe to hire Gareth Southgate as Erik ten Hag’s replacement.

That is according to i Sport, who report that Southgate is the favoured option to succeed Ten Hag if the Dutchman is sacked on Tuesday.

Southgate is out of work after leaving the England national team in the summer.

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Southgate announced his departure from England after Euro 2024 following eight years in the job.

The former defender made the decision after losing 2-1 in the final of Euro 2024 against Spain. That result signalled back-to-back final defeats in the Euros.

Despite heavy criticism over Southgate’s playing style and whether he maximised the ability of his England players, his results were consistently excellent over his eight years with England.

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In four major tournaments he oversaw, England reached two finals, a semi-final and a quarter final.

Southgate is highly respected by new Man Utd part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who considered the coach his number one choice to replace Ten Hag had the Dutchman been sacked this past summer.

Ten Hag had been expected to be sacked after a generally miserable 2023-24 campaign in which - despite winning the FA Cup - Man Utd finished eighth in the Premier League and were dumped out of Europe at the Champions League group stage.

United held an internal review on Ten Hag’s future and even spoke to a number of potential managerial replacements, but in a shock development the Dutchman ended up staying at Old Trafford and extending his contract until 2026.

But a disastrous start to the new season, which sees United down in 14th place in the Premier League after seven games, has put Ten Hag on the brink of the sack again.

Will Ten Hag be sacked?

Manchester United chiefs will meet on Tuesday where a decision will be made over whether to sack manager Ten Hag.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will chair an executive summit in London on Tuesday.

Present at the meeting will be Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox.

Together they will decide whether to stick with or sack Ten Hag.

INEOS’ favoured choice if Ten Hag is sacked is Southgate, but Thomas Tuchel, Max Allegri and Graham Potter are also options.