In a major shake-up, Manchester United has announced the dismissal of manager Erik ten Hag following the club’s challenging start to the season. Sunday’s 2-1 loss to West Ham proved to be Ten Hag’s final game, leaving United sitting 14th in the Premier League with just three wins in their opening nine matches. Meanwhile, the Europa League standings offer little solace, with United positioned at 21st out of 36 teams after drawing all three of their initial fixtures.
The club has appointed Ruud van Nistelrooy as interim manager. Van Nistelrooy, who joined United last summer as Ten Hag’s assistant, will oversee the team until a permanent replacement is found, as confirmed in an official club statement. Sources close to the club have indicated that this was a difficult but necessary decision, agreed upon by the entire board and communicated to Ten Hag on Monday morning.
United’s board had extended Ten Hag’s contract by an additional year after he led the team to victory in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in May. However, just over three months later, the Dutch manager has been let go, as the club endures its second-worst start in Premier League history. Manchester United are now seeking a sixth permanent manager since the iconic Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, adding pressure to find a leader who can restore stability and success.
Erik ten Hag, 54, originally took the helm in 2022 following a successful stint with Ajax. His debut season at United held promise as he guided the club to a third-place Premier League finish, secured the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 win over Newcastle, and reached the FA Cup final. However, this season has unraveled quickly, marked by United’s bottom-of-the-group finish in the Champions League last autumn, despite clinching an unexpected FA Cup win over Manchester City.
The turbulence on the pitch reflects deeper concerns about the club’s environment, as pointed out by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, whose Ineos group recently invested in United, taking over the football operations at Old Trafford. “In the past 11 years, Manchester United have had a lot of coaches and nobody has been successful in that environment,” Ratcliffe commented earlier this year, noting that fundamental issues extend beyond the manager’s role. Following Ineos’ investment, the club embarked on a restructuring effort that included appointing Dan Ashworth as sporting director, Omar Berrada as chief executive, and Jason Wilcox as technical director.
Last season’s FA Cup success had initially provided Ten Hag a renewed opportunity under the new sporting structure. However, continued struggles with consistency and lackluster performances left the club’s leadership no choice but to reconsider.
Manchester United’s ambition for a turnaround is clear, and they now look to reset with a new manager who can capitalize on recent restructuring efforts and bring a fresh vision to Old Trafford.
