Manchester United are reportedly contemplating the appointment of former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui as a possible replacement for Erik ten Hag.
So far, United have had an extremely underwhelming season and pressure is mounting on Erik ten Hag, especially with INEOS billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe closing in on a partial 25% investment into the club.
In the Premier League, the Red Devils have lost six times in 14 games, with their most recent defeat coming against Newcastle at St James’ Park.
The situation is not any better in the Champions League, where Ten Hag’s men are currently sitting bottom of Group A with just four points and are on the brink of elimination from the competition.
Since the Newcastle match, there have been suggestions that Ten Hag has lost a section of the dressing room, with some players growing disillusioned with the Dutchman’s methods and tactics.
Ahead of United’s clash vs. Chelsea this evening, Ten Hag rubbished such insinuations and insisted that there is harmony within the ranks.
Nevertheless, it’s evident the 20-time English champions need to start getting results and performing better sooner rather than later.
According to AS, Ten Hag is not completely secure and apparently, United have a possible replacement lined up to replace him – Lopetegui.
The Spanish publication states, “There are already several important clubs that are thinking about him as the head of a project. One with whom he has been linked, in fact, is Manchester United.”
AS adds that Lopetegui’s good work in the Europa League with Sevilla alongside his proven track record with young players makes him an attractive proposition for outfits like United.
It’s believed that the 57-year-old was on the verge of taking over at Saudi Arabia Pro League club Al Ittihad after receiving a mind-blowing offer worth around €18m net per season – he rejected the proposal.
Such an amount would have instantly made Lopetegui one of the highest-earning coaches in the world.
As it stands, however, he is more keen on plying his trade in the Premier League as opposed to completing a move to the Gulf nation.
Lopetegui left Molineux during the summer after saving Wolves from relegation to the Championship. He cited Wolves’ lack of signings and ambitions in the market as his main reasons for leaving the role.