Ratcliffe leaves Ten Hag’s Manchester United future uncertain

Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has refused to guarantee Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford, admitting the club is not “where it should be” under the embattled Dutch manager.

Speaking ahead of United’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa, the 71-year-old billionaire stopped short of addressing rumours about Ten Hag’s potential sacking.

“I don’t want to answer that question. I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach, but at the end of the day, it’s not my call,” Ratcliffe told the BBC, leaving Ten Hag’s position uncertain.

Ten Hag is under increasing scrutiny with United sitting in 13th place, having won only two of their first six Premier League matches. The pressure intensified after a 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham and a 3-3 Europa League draw against Porto, where United surrendered a two-goal lead.

Last season, Ten Hag narrowly avoided losing his job after an eighth-place finish, following an internal review conducted by Ratcliffe and his advisors. During the review, Ratcliffe reportedly explored alternatives, including talks with former Bayern Munich and Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, but decided to stick with Ten Hag after his FA Cup triumph over Manchester City in May.

However, Ratcliffe’s latest remarks suggest less certainty about Ten Hag’s future, emphasizing that any decision on the manager’s position would rest with United’s new sporting director Dan Ashworth and CEO Omar Berrada.

“It’s the management team running Manchester United that has to decide how we best run the team,” Ratcliffe said. “That team has only been together since June or July, so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”

He added, “Our objective is very clear: we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet. That’s very clear.”