It has been reported that Manchester United is still exploring options for Erik ten Hag in spite of their FA Cup victory.
United surprised league winners Manchester City with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo; Jeremy Doku’s late goal was insufficient for his team. With the victory, United—who had previously finished in ninth position in the Premier League—will play in Europe next season.
Ten Hag forewarned the board of United that should the Manchester club decide they do not want him to continue, he would go and win trophies elsewhere. The victory on Saturday gave the former Ajax manager his second domestic title in as many seasons, following his 2023 Carabao Cup victory.
United will need to decide whether to stick or twist. While they may yet decide Ten Hag remains the man for the job, both Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Frank have reportedly been explored as potential alternatives.
United has reportedly talked with Pochettino and Frank’s representatives, according to The Telegraph. Frank is still bound to Brentford, but Pochettino is free to sign elsewhere when it was confirmed that he was leaving Chelsea.
The most recent reports follow previous conversations with Kieran McKenna’s agents. It is also understood that Chelsea is considering McKenna, a former United coach who guided Ipswich Town to consecutive promotions, as a potential replacement to Pochettino.
However, it doesn’t seem like a decision will be made very soon. Ten Hag carried out his long-held intention to take a break following the cup final, but he did send a note to the management team shortly after the Wembley victory.
“If they don’t want me any more, I go somewhere else and win trophies, that’s what I’ve done my whole career,” Ten Hag told reporters after the cup final. Before joining United, he won a pair of KNVB Cups with Ajax along with his three Eredivisie titles.
“Football is about winning trophies at the end of the day,” he said in quotes shared by club media. “I want to play the best football, attacking football, dynamic football. But in the end, you have to win games and trophies.
“That is the mentality we brought in and we had only one opportunity this season, in the FA Cup. I am very proud of the players and the staff because they did a fantastic job.”
If United do end up pushing for Pochettino, it wouldn’t be the first time he has been seemingly in line for the post. In 2022, long before the Glazer family made plans to sell a stake in the club to new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Argentine was in the mix for the post only for United’s decision-makers to decide on Ten Hag.
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