Erik ten Hag ‘reluctant’ to agree to Ineos transfer plans amid claims of two-year Man Utd extension

Manchester United’s decision to keep Erik ten Hag was certainly not a simple one, and the 16 days of deliberation show just how complicated the matter was.

Ultimately, the team’s FA Cup triumph over Manchester City was a pivotal factor, as were the league-high number of injuries the manager had to deal with, along with a sense that Ten Hag is building a team for the future.

Now that the decision has been made, the focus is on transfers and preparing for the new season, while the club are keen to renegotiate the Dutchman’s contract and extend his current terms. As part of that, Ten Hag’s role is expected to change slightly, with the ex-Ajax boss moving from a manager to a head coach, a change that will see his powers over transfers limited.

After such a huge announcement, there was no shortage of headlines and reports that emerged on Ten Hag’s situation in the subsequent 24 hours.

Of all the articles to emerge in the aftermath of the news, none were as detailed as The Athletic’s deep dive into the decision to keep Ten Hag. The outlet claim there was a sense during a meeting in Monaco between club executives on 14 May that he would be sacked, while some consideration was even given to relieving Ten Hag of his duties ahead of the Arsenal match on 12 May, six days after the humiliating 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace.

But the FA Cup win altered the perception of Ineos officials, along with Ten Hag’s clear support among the fanbase and his tactical approach to the final that resulted in such a convincing win over Pep Guardiola’s side. There was ‘radio silence’ from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team following the Wembley victory, leading to a sense that Ten Hag would be sacked.

The first time the 54-year-old knew for certain that he would stay was when Sir Dave Brailsford flew out to Ibiza to inform him of the decision, The Athletic add. Meanwhile, they also claim Marco Silva met United officials during the week of the FA Cup final, while Roberto Martinez was another name under consideration. But Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi emerged as the two most likely candidates to replace Ten Hag had he been sacked, with discussions even getting as far as ‘salary expectations’.

Meanwhile, the Times claim that Brailsford was the figure who pushed most strongly for Ten Hag to remain, although the manager is said to be reluctant to cede power to Ineos over transfers and ‘will not blindly accept’ the new contract offer. The newspaper also claim that one potential candidate for the role was astounded by the low wage he would have received and the lack of transfer funds.

As per the Guardian, Ten Hag’s willingness to accept Jason Wilcox’s tactical input was a significant factor in him avoiding the sack. The decision to move Bruno Fernandes into a false nine role for the FA Cup final had a huge bearing on the outcome of the game and acted as proof to Ratcliffe that Ten Hag can work in Ineos’ football structure.

Despite that, the United players believed the manager would be sacked, according to the Telegraph. Indeed they reportedly only discovered Ten Hag would remain in power when the news broke publicly.

“The players are said to be pleased the uncertainty over United’s managerial situation has been ended and that the club can move on with their summer plans,” the Telegraph added, while the article stated that sources have rejected any suggestion that the decision to stick with Ten Hag allows Ineos the opportunity to stall until Gareth Southgate becomes a available at a later date.

A separate report in the Telegraph said Ten Hag will sign a new two-year extension, on top of the year he currently has remaining on his deal, meaning he would have another three years overall on his new contract.

The outlet also state that Ten Hag was ‘disappointed’ that Ineos had spoken to other managers but doesn’t believe he has been ‘fatally undermined’ by his bosses.