Erik ten Hag reportedly set for wage deduction if United fail to qualify for UCL | OneFootball

Erik ten Hag will reportedly face a wage deduction next season if Manchester United fail to qualify for the Champions League and the Dutchman keeps his job.

According to several outlets, including the Daily Mail and ESPN, Ten Hag faces the prospect of a 25 per cent wage deduction if he fails to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

United currently sit 16 points behind fourth placed Aston Villa, albeit with two games in hand, and the Premier League’s chances of having a fifth team in the Champions League next season is very unlikely after a disastrous week for British clubs- with Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham all being eliminated from their respective competitions.

Although United have booked their place in the FA Cup final after a chaotic penalty shoot-out victory over Championship Coventry City- in which they dramatically surrendered a 3-0 lead with 20 minutes to play- pressure continues to mount on Ten Hag and his future at the club remains in the balance.

ESPN have also reported that the wage deductions could extend to some of the senior players.

If this was enforced, Ten Hag’s salary would reduce from £9 million a year to £6.75 million. This also means that if the Dutchman is dismissed by Manchester United, his compensation package will be far less lucrative.

At present, reports suggest that the former Ajax boss will be in charge until the end of the season and that his position at the club is not in jeopardy, largely because of a lack of suitable candidates in the managerial market.

Potential candidates include Gareth Southgate, Ruben Amorim and Thomas Tuchel, who will be available in the summer following an underwhelming spell with Bayern Munich.

Ten Hag launched a stern retaliation to recent criticism this week and labelled the media’s reaction to their FA Cup semi-final win over Coventry as a ‘disgrace.’

Asked if he understood the reaction, the United boss said: ‘Absolutely not. You made (asked) the question, ‘is it embarrassing?’ No, the reaction from you was embarrassing. The comments are a disgrace.

‘Top football is about results. We made it to a final and we deserved it, not only by this game but also the other games. We lost control for 20 minutes, we also had bad luck for 3-2 and 3-3. We were very lucky in the end, clearly.

‘We were not happy with it. I can see the fans are not happy with it as well, but they get fed by opinions.

‘But all over, what I heard is that the fans are very happy we are again in the FA Cup final.

‘Even for Manchester United, it is not business as usual. They were not so often in the FA Cup final.

‘The penalties were very good and we made it to the final. It is a huge achievement. Twice in two years is magnificent. For me as a manager, five cup finals in four years.’