Ten Hag's replacement: Ex-Chelsea boss becomes ‘main candidate’ for Man Utd

Carlo Garganese

• 1 May 2024 17:30 BST
• 3 min read

Ex-Chelsea manager becomes ‘main candidate’ to replace Erik ten Hag

Thomas Tuchel has become the “main candidate” to replace Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager, according to Jan-Age Fjortoft.

Ten Hag seems almost certain to be sacked as Man Utd manager at the end of the season after a disastrous 2023-24 campaign.

A whole host of names are on the shortlist as possible replacements for Ten Hag.

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer news

These include England manager Gareth Southgate, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and former Chelsea manager Graham Potter.

But Fjortoft, a former Premier League striker with good connections in Germany, believes that another former Chelsea manager in Bayern Munich boss Tuchel is now the “main candidate”.

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer rumours

What did Fjortoft say?

“Tuchel is the main candidate if Ten Hag managed to leave the most entertaining team in England,” Fjortoft said on ESPN, ironically referring to Ten Hag’s recent claim that United play the most exciting football in the Premier League.

Tuchel will be available for the Man Utd job at no cost at the end of the season as he will leave his Bayern Munich post next month.

The German boss was only appointed last year to replace Julian Nagelsmann but, despite winning the Bundesliga last season, he has struggled this term.

Bayern failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in 11 years as Bayer Leverkusen took the title, while they were also knocked out of the DFB Pokal by third division side Saarbrucken.

The Bavarians can still win the Champions League but face an uphill task to make it through to the final after they drew 2-2 in the semi final first leg against Real Madrid at home.

Tuchel has a successful 18-month spell at Chelsea from 2021 to 2022, winning the Champions League, Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.