BREAKING NEWS: “I am committed to finding the right person for this role before my time is up. We aim to implement significant changes this year. Erik ten Hag is not the suitable choice for this position. The right candidate has prior experience here and can solve all our issues.”

If Erik ten Hag’s term ends, Manchester United is apparently thinking about starting talks again with a prior management candidate. The pressure on the Dutch manager’s job at Old Trafford is mounting after a run of subpar outings, the most recent of which was a crushing 3-0 loss to Tottenham at the stadium.

This defeat has increased doubts about Ten Hag’s ability to lead the squad to victory, especially in light of the fact that United let Porto back into the Europa League game with a two-goal lead before Harry Maguire’s late equalizer forced a 3-3 draw.

The Athletic claims that United’s management is taking a “long-term view” on Ten Hag’s future. This suggests that Ten Hag might stay in his role, if only temporarily, even if United were to lose their next Premier League match against Aston Villa. Over the summer, INEOS representatives and United’s minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had already had conversations with a number of possible Ten Hag successors.

Even though he won the FA Cup with United, his recent bad performance has raised questions again, and those earlier conversations might come up again.

Thomas Tuchel, the former manager of Bayern Munich and Chelsea, was apparently one of the contenders that United reportedly sought during the summer. Tuchel declined, nevertheless, because of worries about the power dynamics among the team.

Given Ten Hag’s uncertain future, United may decide to resume discussions with Tuchel, who is still without a team. Tuchel is a great candidate because to his tactical know-how and abundance of experience leading elite European clubs; nevertheless, it is questionable if he would take the position again.

Other names have also been connected to the role, such as England manager Gareth Southgate and former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter. Their ability to adjust tactically and nurture players makes them both highly regarded.

Simone Inzaghi of Inter Milan was reportedly approached by United as well, but he turned it down, choosing to remain at Inter where he has achieved success—including a Champions League final appearance. Thomas Frank of Brentford has also surfaced as a possible contender; he is renowned for his capacity to optimize his team’s potential with minimal assets.

The bookies believe that current assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy would succeed Ten Hag, despite the fact that various managers have been linked to the position. Van Nistelrooy is a desirable candidate because of his familiarity with the team and his developing managerial reputation. Ten Hag’s future is in jeopardy as United nears a pivotal point in their season.