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With Erik ten Hag set to remain at Old Trafford, the United management are no longer pursuing conversations with their ever changing shortlist of potential replacements.
In the lead up to the post-season review which would ultimately decide ten Hag’s fate, Sir Jim Ratcliffe drew up a list of prospective managers who could take the helm at United if the decision was to part ways with the Dutchman.
The list itself was made up of the some top names like Mauricio Pochettino who was released from Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel who is due to part ways with Bayern Munich at the end of the season, with other up and coming managers also making it onto the list.
Rising stars in the managerial world who were considered were the likes of Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Roberto De Zerbi.
In the end, despite the significant changes made by INEOS to the directors of the club, Sir Jim Ratcliffe felt that ten Hag was still fit to lead the Red Devils next season.
However, this was not before the INEOS owner met with Thomas Tuchel in Monaco this weekend to have an informal conversation about the managerial job at United.
During these conversations it appears as though United’s difficulties in defence were raised, with The Times reporting that the German manager suggested Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger as the perfect option to fix the problem’s with United’s back line.
This suggestion was not met with much optimism, with the centre-back being much older than the Red Devil’s new transfer policy of recruiting players under the age of 25, with the Real Madrid defender having turned 31 this year. it was also thought that Rudiger would much rather remain in the Spanish capital than move to Manchester and would be significantly out of United’s price range.
Whilst Rudiger does have an impressive track record with two Champions League winners medals under his belt for Chelsea and Real Madrid, a Europa League victory with Chelsea and a total of three domestic cups to his name across both teams, he would not be a long term fix to United’s problems in defence, leading them to focus elsewhere in the transfer market.
