'Ten Hag has already been sacked'

Carlo Garganese

• 27 Feb 2024 06:25 CST
• 3 min read

Gary Neville believes that a decision will already have been made on whether Erik ten Hag will be at Manchester United next season.

New Manchester United part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is in control of the club’s transfer policy and staff recruitment, and has already begun making changes in the corporate structure.

Ratcliffe has brought in Omar Berrada from Manchester City, INEOS colleague Dave Brailsford, and is attempting to hire Newcastle director Dan Ashworth.

And this tells Neville that a decision has already been made on whether Ten Hag - who has a contract at Man Utd until 2025 - will be sacked at the end of the season.

What did Neville say?

“If you look at the CEO coming in from City and they’re looking to get Dan Ashworth in from Newcastle, they’re going to make a decision quite quickly I think - if not already,” Neville told Monday Night Football.

“I suspect that Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsford already know whether they’re going to keep Erik ten Hag as manager next season.

“I can’t believe they’re going to wait until May to make that decision and leave themselves short.

“Where Manchester United have been found out in the last ten years, in recruitment on and off the pitch, is making important decisions too late and not being ahead of the game. I don’t think [Ratcliffe and Co] are going to do that.

“So for me I suspect that they’ve probably come to a conclusion already - it may even be, whether it’s Champions League or not, that they stick with that decision.”

The widespread feeling is that Ten Hag will indeed be sacked at the end of the season after another disastrous campaign.

United are struggling down in sixth place, well out of the title race and facing a challenge to qualify for the Champions League.

They are already out of Europe, and their only hope of winning a trophy is in the FA Cup.