Erik ten Hag, the manager of Ajax, has been coy about the possibility of becoming Manchester United’s next permanent manager, stating that he doesn’t want to “rule anything out” in terms of his future.
The Dutchman, who is United’s preferred candidate for the post, was interviewed for the job just over a week ago and is the clear favorite to succeed Ralf Rangnick this summer, according to the Manchester Evening News. For some months, Ten Hag has been connected with the post at Old Trafford, and he is a popular candidate among fans.
Ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino, the head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, appear to be in a direct shoot-out for the management job at Old Trafford. The latter is interested in the role and was willing to quit the French champions in the middle of the season in November to return to England.
Ten Hag, on the other hand, is now the frontrunner for the post, and more negotiations between him and United are expected to take place soon. Despite this, the Dutchman appears to be downplaying the notion that he and United have had talks.
“In the industry, everyone knows everyone,” Ten Hag told Sport1. “It’s natural to have discussions with representatives from other teams.
“Manchester United is a fantastic club with even better supporters. But I’ll just say it again: Ajax has my undivided attention. We’re already making preparations for the new season.”
Ten Hag is right to stay dedicated to his current post as Ajax manager, as he is contracted to the Dutch giants until the summer of 2023. He hasn’t ruled out the prospect of leaving the club for a new challenge, though.
The Dutchman went on to say: “My current emphasis is solely on Ajax. But you never know with football. I’m not going to rule anything out just yet. I’m now working as a performer at Ajax.
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“We still have eight finals left, including the cup final versus Eindhoven, for which I will need all of my energy. Anything else would be a waste of time. I understand that in football, anything can happen at any time.
“I hope that everybody here would understand if I decide to take the next step at some point.”
Ten Hag, on the other hand, has not set a timeframe for making a decision about his future, saying: “So far, I’ve spoken with Ajax following each season. This will be the case again this time.
“Ajax and Erik ten Hag are currently quite happy with each other,” says the source.
