United View: Erik ten Hag’s future still unknown

It’s been over a week since Manchester United lifted the FA Cup at Wembley and it’s still a mystery regarding the future of Erik ten Hag as manager.

It’s something that needs to be sorted sharply as the Reds prepare for an immensely important summer for the football club.

The Dutchman was already under intense scrutiny going into the final, with some reporting that the manager would be sacked regardless of the result. The Red’s incredible performance and victory have thrown a spanner into that with a season review currently taking place.

United finished 8th in the Premier League and whether one game can make up for a disastrous season is up for debate, but this is something that cannot be drawn out for too long ahead of the summer transfer window.

There was a great deal of optimism upon the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Old Trafford, with an emphasis on ‘best in class’ and greater transparency than the Glazer family. And while fans understand that transforming Manchester United into a competitive team won’t be a quick fix, they will be urging for clarification on who will be at the helm next season.

The Summer transfer window opens on June 14th. Any potential targets will also want to know who will be calling the shots next season, along with the current squad – many of which also have their futures in ambiguity.

Whether you think Erik ten Hag should stay or go, comes down to personal preference, with valid arguments to be made on each side of the debate.

On the one hand, the Dutchman has been undoubtedly hampered by injuries, even playing over half the season without a recognised left-back. Despite this he was still able to win the FA Cup, his second trophy in as many years. And with a proper football structure around him could go on to achieve even more at United.

However, let’s not forget just how poor the Reds have been this season. Injuries aside, the refusal to shift away from Ten Hag’s footballing philosophy has led to a campaign of head-scratching performances and the club’s lowest-ever finish since 1989-90.

Sir Alex Ferguson was the man in charge that season, with an FA Cup famously saving his job and going on to turn around the clubs’ fortunes for the next two decades. Whether Erik ten Hag will share a similar fate is unforeseen.

Regardless of your stance, a decision has to be made sooner rather than later. United already have an uphill battle ahead of the 24/25 campaign and can ill afford to face get complacent.

Should they decide to stick with the current manager then he would enter the season in the final year of his contract. Thus, putting him on trial once again, only further ramping up the pressure on Erik ten Hag. To avoid this, they would need to extend his contract.

With Kieran Mckenna committing his future to newly promoted Ipswich Town and Enzo Maresca becoming the new Chelsea manager, the pool of potential successors only becomes smaller.

Hopefully, this is an issue that’s soon resolved, and the club can focus its attention on squad recruitment. The club looking to prioritise a centre-back, midfielder and forward to begin their rebuild process.

As previously mentioned, INEOS has made a positive impact on supporters since their arrival but now is the time for action. It’s a huge call and one that could define the next few years at Manchester United, let’s just hope it’s the correct one.