June 12th 2024.
According to recent reports, there has been a lot of speculation about who will take over as the next manager of Manchester United. After a thorough review, the club has decided to stick with current boss Erik ten Hag for the upcoming season. This comes as a surprise, as many believed that he would be let go after a disappointing year for the Red Devils.
Under Ten Hag's leadership, Manchester United had their worst finish in Premier League history and were eliminated from the Champions League group stage. However, his team's impressive win against Manchester City in the FA Cup final and the lack of other viable candidates caused the club's owners, INEOS, to change their minds about letting him go.
Initially, there were reports that a shortlist of four potential replacements had been drawn up by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team. This list included former managers Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino, as well as current managers Thomas Frank and Kieran McKenna. There was also speculation about England's national team coach Gareth Southgate and recently departed Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi.
However, according to sources, all of these candidates had been in discussions with the club's top brass, with the exception of Southgate. In fact, it has been revealed that there was another contender in the running for the job. Fulham's manager Marco Silva had a "face-to-face" meeting with Manchester United executives just days before the FA Cup final, around the same time that Ten Hag was conducting his pre-match press conference.
Despite his impressive track record, Silva has never been heavily linked with top jobs in the Premier League. He previously managed Hull, Watford, and Everton before joining Fulham in 2021, where he led the team to win the Championship and establish themselves as a solid mid-table Premier League side. It is worth noting that he was not the only former Everton boss considered for the job, as Roberto Martinez was also on the club's radar early on. However, the current coach of the Belgian national team has not managed a club since his dismissal from Everton in 2016 and may have been seen as a more unconventional choice than Silva.
It is clear that Manchester United's decision to stick with Ten Hag was not an easy one, and they have explored all possible options before making their final choice. With Silva at the helm, Fulham fans can rest assured that their team is in good hands, and Manchester United fans can look forward to seeing what Ten Hag will bring to the table in the upcoming season. As always, stay tuned for more updates on Manchester United news, exclusives, and analysis.
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