Man United sack ten Hag, van Nistelrooy appointed interim boss

Erik ten Hag has been relieved of his role as manager of Manchester United in the English Premier League.

News of his sacking was announced on Monday afternoon in a press release, with the club confirming assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy would take over as interim manager.

“We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future,” the club said in a statement.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited.”

Ten Hag was appointed in April 2022, taking over from interim manager Ralf Rangnick.

During his time with the club, the Dutch manager guided United to domestic glory, winning the EFL Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

The 54-year-old, however, received sharp criticism after leading United to their worst-ever Premier League finish during the 2023-24 campaign, in which the Red Devils placed eighth on the table — a whopping 31 points behind champions Manchester City.

Nevertheless, his contract was extended in the summer until June 2026 after United defeated Pep Guardiola’s men to lift the FA Cup.

Ten Hag’s dismissal comes in the wake of Sunday’s 2-1 league defeat away to West Ham United.

The result leaves the Red Devils 14th on the table, 12 points behind first-placed Manchester City after just nine games.

Several names have been proposed as potential full-time replacements for ten Hag, including van Nistelrooy, former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez, former England manager Gareth Southgate, and Brentford head coach Thomas Frank.

However, the latest reports suggest negotiations have already begun with Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim, with top bookmakers paying -500 for the 39-year-old to become the next Manchester United manager.

Van Nistelrooy’s first test as interim manager will be Wednesday’s EFL Cup encounter against Leicester City, with soccer betting sites paying -277.78 for the hosts to beat the Foxes (+700).

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