New Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold is reportedly backing interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s recommendation of Erik Ten Hag as the club’s new manager instead of the players’ preference to appoint PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Both the Argentine and the Belgian have long been identified as the two main candidates to take over at Old Trafford next season as the new permanent manager once the sand runs out in the hourclock on Rangnick’s reign as interim manager.
Rangnick has seen it fit to champion ten Hag to new chief executive Arnold and The Sun reports that the latter is increasingly warming up to the idea that the Ajax manager is the right person to clean United’s Aegean stables and restore the ailing club to the pinnacle of English football.
However, the bone of contention is that Arnold’s pursuit of ten Hag could cause fissures at United after Sportsmail revealed earlier in the week that several first-team players have indicated they would prefer Pochettino instead as it is no secret that many at United have put the Argentine on a pedestal of sorts since he was at Tottenham. Ed Woodward, Arnold’s predecessor at Old Trafford, had in fact even tried to lure him away from Paris Saint-Germain after giving Solskjaer the sack but the Ligue 1 giants were persistent to not lose the 49-year-old mid-season, Woodward had no alternative but to appoint Rangnick instead.
United players are purportedly impressed with Pochettino’s efforts in taking Spurs to the Champions League final in 2019 and establishing them as a top-four side while working within the confines of a relatively small budget.
Contrary to that, Rangnick is said to harbor a clear preference for ten Hag, who has two Eredivisie titles under his belt with Ajax while also having a reputation for developing a core of young, talented players.
Understandably, United are anxious to have a fix on their next manager before the end of the season so that Rangnick’s replacement can be installed soonest possible so he can play be part of the new signings and contract renewals among the current squad.
Sportsmail also reported on Saturday that Arnold is also expected to review United’s transfer policy amid a widespread feeling at Old Trafford that the club actually bungled last month’s transfer window.