Man Utd 'on red alert' as surprise Ten Hag replacement emerges
Tom Weber
- Updated: 1 Dec 2023 16:58 GMT
- 3 min read
Juventus boss Max Allegri has emerged as a shock contender for Erik ten Hag's job.
The Manchester United head coach is under intense pressure after a truly dismal start to the campaign. While results in the Premier League have now stabilised - albeit against sides United should be expected to beat - things are looking bleak in the Champions League.
With only one win in five games, the Red Devils are on the brink of crashing out in the group stage. After a loss to Copenhagen, United again suffered humiliation when Galatasaray came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3. A big share of the blame fell at the feet of goalkeeper Andre Onana, who had gifted the Turkish side two goals.
It was not the first time Onana has made high-profile howlers, but so far Ten Hag has shown little interest in using his number two, Altay Bayindir. Both the Turkey international and Onana were signed in the summer as 'upgrades' for David de Gea and Dean Henderson, but so far Onana has offered little in the way of actual shot-stopping - at least in Europe - to suggest he was a worthwhile investment.
The Cameroonian is the latest of Erik ten Hag's signings to face intense scrutiny. With Antony firmly established as one of the worst pieces of business in recent Premier League history, the Dutchman's transfer policy had already been heavily questioned. The failure of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat - two players Ten Hag had desperately wanted - to perform is also ramping up the pressure on the boss.
Allegri the answer?
United's hierarchy has so far kept the faith in Ten Hag, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe won't take any prisoners once he takes charge, so the Dutchman's job could be on the line.
The likes of Graham Potter and Zinedine Zidane have been mentioned as potential options, but now Juventus boss Max Allegri is being touted as a replacement. Allegri himself has often faced criticism for his uninspiring style of play and therefore it is not unsurprising to see Italian media report that the Bianconeri could be open to letting him go.
The Daily Express has made the connection to United based on the fact that the Italian has been linked with the job on numerous occasions. It is claimed that he would favour a move to the Premier League and has received a seal of approval from ex-Red Devil Patrice Evra for having 'more flair' than Sir Alex Ferguson.
