Manchester United face competition from two major European clubs to secure the services of much-coveted Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.
That’s the view of Dutch football expert Marcel van de Kraan, who has spoken to Sky Sports about United’s pursuit of the 52-year-old.
The Red Devils have interviewed ten Hag as the club step up their search for our next permanent manager following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking in November.
Ralf Rangnick was appointed as United’s interim boss until the end of the season later that month, following a three-game caretaker spell for Michael Carrick.
Although other candidates are going to be interviewed, ten Hag looks to be in the driving seat to take over the reins at Old Trafford.
However, van der Kraan has revealed that Manchester United don’t have a clear run at ten Hag and other European powerhouses have already entered the race.
“There are three major opportunities for Erik ten Hag,” Van der Kraan told Sky Sports.
“Manchester United is only one of them. I don’t want to dampen the excitement in England but maybe United have not done all the work yet.
“Yes, they’ve had positive talks with Ten Hag but so have two other major clubs in Europe. These are clubs who play Champions League football and who have chances to win titles in their own country.
“One of those clubs is very concrete for Ten Hag, and I think that is on mainland Europe – not in England. I know for a fact that Ten Hag is very excited about that job too.”
The likelihood of Manchester United not being in next season’s Champions League looks to be increasing with every passing Premier League gameweek.
Rangnick’s side face an uphill task beating both Tottenham and Arsenal to the all important fourth place.
Ten Hag will be tasked with rebuilding a football club that hasn’t won a trophy in five years and will go into next season knowing it will be a decade since we lasted lifted the Premier League trophy aloft.
Van de Kraan believes “there’s a real danger” that Manchester United could miss out on the Dutchman unless the hierarchy “speed things up”.
“If Manchester United want to get things going, they will have to speed things up and make things concrete,” Van der Kraan added.
“They will have to put a contract out to him because I think there’s a real danger it could become too late for him.
“For Ten Hag, there may be the consideration of the graveyard Manchester United has been for managers.
“Not everything during his career has gone well – for United when you see how Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have all failed and seen their reputations damaged.
“It needs some more convincing from United.”
- Erik Ten Hag’s managerial record and style of play
- Erik Ten Hag’s five most expensive transfers
- Ajax’s last five managers before Ten Hag and where they are now
- Five Ajax players Ten Hag could sign for Manchester United
- Ten Hag’s comments when Van de Beek left Ajax for Old Trafford
- Six key issues for Manchester United’s next boss
- The three biggest wins of Ten Hag’s managerial career
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