Erik ten Hag breaks silence on Manchester United sacking reports

Erik ten Hag has refused to engage with questions about his Manchester United future amid reports the Dutchman will be sacked after the FA Cup final.

The manager refused to answer whether he had held discussions over his position, insisting he was unaffected by the speculation and remained focused on the final against Manchester City.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe was set to make a decision on Ten Hag’s future by the end of the season, not fully convinced by the manager, who arrived in 2022. Ratcliffe refused to publicly assess Ten Hag’s tenure ahead of the Premier League’s worst of United. completion.

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The Ineos boss drew up a list of potential alternatives to Ten Hag earlier this year, with Roberto De Zerbi, who has now left Brighton, touting it. Despite all the buzz surrounding his position at Old Trafford, the Ten Hag refused to be drawn into discussing his future.

Asked if it affected him personally, the 54-year-old told BBC Sport: “(It hasn’t.) Just focus on the game, focus on the team and that’s all that matters.”

Pressed on whether he had held talks with the owner about his post, Ten Hag replied: “I’m not talking about my future. It’s not about me, it’s about the team and winning the cup.”

MEN Sport understands Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna would be open to securing the United job. The 38-year-old was manager at Old Trafford between 2016 and 2021, first overseeing the under-18s before becoming assistant manager.

Meanwhile, De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino have been linked with the Ten Hag’s potential successor. Tuchel left Bayern Munich at the end of the season, while Pochettino unexpectedly left Chelsea on Tuesday.

Pochettino was among the candidates to be hired before Ten Hag was given the role two years ago. Tuchel recently spoke of how much he enjoyed managing in the Premier League at Chelsea, where he says he felt more valued as a manager.