Manchester United to sack Erik ten Hag after FA Cup Final, will pay £9 Million in compensation

Manchester United is set to sack manager Erik ten Hag following Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City, according to reports from the Mirror.

Regardless of the match’s outcome, the club will owe ten Hag up to £9 million in compensation due to his contract, which runs until 2025.

Ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford, which began two years ago, is reportedly coming to an end due to Manchester United’s poor performance in the Premier League, where they finished eighth—their lowest finish since 1990. Despite the FA Cup final being crucial for securing European football next season, it appears this will not be enough to save the Dutchman’s job.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s new minority owner, is pushing for changes, and speculation has been rife that ten Hag would be dismissed. Already, United has shortlisted potential replacements, including Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Kieran McKenna, Graham Potter, and Thomas Frank. However, Pochettino’s availability has added complexity, as he is also being considered by Chelsea, alongside McKenna and Frank.

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Ten Hag has remained adamant that he will not voluntarily leave his position. In a media briefing on Thursday, he avoided confirming whether the FA Cup final would be his last match in charge, stating, “I have nothing to say. I’m just focusing on the job I have to do and that is first to win the game on Saturday and then to keep going with the project.”

Defending his record, ten Hag added, “There are some very good things, players coming through, and on Saturday we have a big opportunity to win the next trophy. After every season you review it and we will see where we are in the project, things we have to change. I came here to win trophies. Saturday is the next opportunity. We earned this opportunity as a team and now we have to go for it.”

As United prepares for the FA Cup final, the looming managerial change signifies a turbulent period for the club, with Ratcliffe’s decisions likely to shape the club’s immediate future.