Man Utd's remaining five Erik ten Hag replacement options after Gareth Southgate claim
Manchester United are yet to make a decision on the future of manager Erik ten Hag and former England boss Gareth Southgate has already ruled himself out of the running
Erik ten Hag's future as Manchester United boss remains up in the air following a seven-hour crisis meeting earlier this week.
United have endured their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign and a number of potential replacements for Ten Hag have been linked with his job. Former England manager Gareth Southgate, however, has effectively ruled himself out of the running.
Southgate has stated he will not take another coaching role for at least a year, having left England after Euro 2024. Speaking at the European Club Association conference, Southgate said: "I won't coach in the next year, for sure.
"I'm certain of that. I need to give myself time to make good decisions. When you come out of a really big role you need to give your body time, you need to give your mind time. I'm fortunate that there are lots of opportunities presenting themselves. There's no rush."
With Southgate now out of the running, there remain several other candidates who could replace Ten Hag if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co decide to pull the trigger. Here, Mirror Football has taken a look at them...
Ruud van Nistelrooy
United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy is the most obvious option to replace Ten Hag, at least on an interim basis.
The United legend returned to Old Trafford over the summer as part of Ten Hag's coaching staff and he also lifted two trophies during his time as PSV Eindhoven manager. It is understood Van Nistelrooy would take interim charge if Ten Hag is sacked, meaning he would have an opportunity to prove he deserves the permanent job.
However, he does have some concerns about the role, having left PSV in acrimonious fashion last year when he accused his assistant Fred Rutten and some senior players of conspiring with club chiefs behind his back. A source in Holland told the Mirror : "He felt betrayed at Eindhoven - and he will not want to be viewed as the man who went behind Erik ten Hag's back."
Thomas Tuchel
Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has also been heavily linked with the role.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Tuchel is among the candidates United are considering and the fact that he is immediately available after leaving Bayern at the end of last season gives him an edge.
Tuchel met with Ratcliffe to discuss replacing Ten Hag over the summer and the INEOS chief is said to 'like the possibility' of the German taking over at Old Trafford, despite concerns that he has fallen out with the hierarchy at Bayern, Chelsea, PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz.
Simone Inzaghi
Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi is another manager that has been linked with the job after winning the Serie A title last season.
The Italian has impressed during his time at Lazio and Inter, but he recently signed a contract extension and would prove a particularly costly hire mid-season. Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport has also reported that Inzaghi has twice been sounded out by United.
It is claimed an agent working on the club's behalf approached Inzaghi before the end of last season and during September's international break, but the 48-year-old was apparently not interested in leaving Inter.
Graham Potter
Graham Potter has also been linked and has a strong relationship with United sporting director Dan Ashworth, having previously worked with him at Brighton.
Potter impressed during his time at the Amex, taking Brighton from relegation battlers to the brink of European qualification. He left for Chelsea in September 2022, but lasted less than seven months at Stamford Bridge.
When asked about links with United on Sky Sports Monday Night Football earlier this month, Potter said: "For the respect of everybody, it's best I keep it private. I don't think anything is impossible but jobs are difficult. That's the reality of life in the Premier League. If you're a big club like Manchester United and you're not in the top six, then there's always going to be scrutiny."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, meanwhile, has publicly stated he would like to return as manager if Ten Hag is sacked.
"If the family [United] asks, I would say yes every day of the week," Solskjaer said in a Q&A at the Oslo Business Forum last month. "It feels wrong to talk about jobs that other people have now, but I would say yes, of course."
However, it appears highly unlikely that United would go back to Solskjaer, who spent three years in charge after initially replacing Jose Mourinho on an interim basis when he was axed in 2018.
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