Breaking News: Man Utd board decision suggests ‘they’re not backing’ Erik ten Hag as his replacement named

Expert According to Jason Cundy, Erik ten Hag’s time at Manchester United is running out since the Old Trafford management has not supported the Dutchman and has already chosen his replacement.

TalkSPORT broadcaster Jason Cundy argues that Manchester United’s summer offer of Erik ten Hag a one-year contract extension suggests that “they’re not backing” the manager.

Cundy said that Ten Hag’s time as United’s manager is already running out after attentively evaluating the team’s terrible performance at the beginning of the 2024–2025 campaign. He continued by selecting Ruud van Nistelrooy, a former United great and Ten Hag’s freshly hired assistant coach, as his apparent successor.

After Ten Hag guided the team to its lowest-ever Premier League finish at the end of the previous season, the new Old Trafford hierarchy took months to determine whether to remain with him. He was awarded a new one-year contract in July after defeating rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The managers of United were also very busy during the transfer window, adding five significant players for a total of more than £150 million to broaden Ten Hag’s alternatives. Ten Hag’s status is now in threat once more due to their terrible start to the new season—two Premier League losses in three games.Cundy, a former defender for Chelsea and Tottenham, thinks that Ten Hag’s reign would come to an end if Southampton defeats them on Saturday. He substantiated his assertion by saying that the United management will not support him, as demonstrated by their decision to only offer him a one-year agreement and to have Van Nistelrooy ready to step in as a simple replacement.

“They gave him one year added to one year,” Cundy claimed on talkSPORT. That is effectively announcing, “We’ve looked around, we’ve done the sniff test, and there’s no one out there we like the smell of, so we’re going to stick with this stink,” rather than endorsing the management. They fundamentally believe that the devil is better right now.

He went on, “Ten Hag’s issue is that he’s currently in a bad place. The owners don’t provide him any support. Providing a boss with a one-year extension is not the best approach to show support. The players are the ones funding the project; Ten Hag did not make the player acquisitions. An agreement for three years would be perfect!

Declare, “I truly believe in you,” to the manager. Now let’s get this done. Let’s add another three on top of one year and give you four years,” if you genuinely support him. “There’s nothing out there that we fancy right now, so we’ll bring in Van Nistelrooy in to help,” they are saying as they sit there.

“Everyone is aware of how this will conclude. Van Nistelrooy knows it, Ten Hag knows it, Sir Jim Ratcliffe knows it, and the players know it. The only unknown is when.

In April 2022, Ten Hag was formally named as United’s manager, taking over for Ralf Rangnick. Since taking over that summer, he has won two titles and qualified his team for the Champions League in his first season.

48-year-old Van Nistelrooy oversaw PSV Eindhoven from March 2022 until the completion of the 2022–2023 season. He resigned the squad with one game remaining due of a lack of support from his teammates. In July, the former striker, who played for United for five years and scored 150 goals, inked a two-year contract to serve as Ten Hag’s assistant.