Five managers who could replace Ten Hag at Man Utd | OneFootball

Highlights

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is under a mountain of pressure right now, after a string of poor results have left the Red Devils playing catchup in the Premier League and Champions League.

Following a decent first season at Old Trafford, where ten Hag helped guide United to a top four finish, while lifting the League Cup and making it to the FA Cup final, it was expected the Greater Manchester outfit would kick on and establish themselves as a title contender this time around.

Splashing close to £200 million during the summer transfer window, the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Andre Onana were added to United's ranks ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

However, those players haven't exactly helped turn United's fortunes around and with questions surrounding ten Hag's tenure, GIVEMESPORT have put together a list of five managers who could take over from the former Ajax chief in the coming months.

Antonio Conte

A man who seems to be perennially linked with the Manchester United manager's job, Antonio Conte remains a viable option to takeover from ten Hag, having been out of work since leaving Tottenham Hotspur last season.

While it may have ended in unceremonious circumstances at Hotspur Way, Conte has a track record which speaks for itself in elite level management. A winner of six league titles during his 18-year stint as a manager, the Italian coach knows what it takes to galvanize a group of languishing players.

Of course, Conte has come close to taking charge at Old Trafford in the past, most recently following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021. Conte was a free agent at the time of Solskjaer's sacking, but the Red Devils hierarchy opted against appointing him, opting for Ralf Rangnick as interim boss until the end of the season instead.

But some things in football feel destined to happen eventually, with Conte managing United one of them.

Roberto De Zerbi

From A to Z, Roberto De Zerbi is the next up and coming manager on the continental scene, with the current Brighton & Hove Albion boss being monitored by a number of top level Premier League sides.

Taking Brighton to the Europa League during his first season in charge of the Seagulls, De Zerbi's stock continues to rise with each passing week. It seems only a matter of time before De Zerbi rocks up at a Champions League club and if United aren't careful, the opportunity to bag one of Europe's most promising managers could pass them by.

Described by Pep Guardiola as one of the most 'influential' managers of the last 20 years, it's clear De Zerbi has plenty admirers and is being tipped for a successful career in management. Journalist Dean Jones has also revealed to GIVEMESPORT that the Italian is a contender to take over from Guardiola at City himself, meaning United may have to act fast, or watch their noisy neighbours steal him first.

Another Italian gaffer to make the list, Carlo Ancelotti could prove just what United need in the short-term to remedy their woes. The Old Trafford outfit have tried project managers and they've gone with big-name personalities in the past, but neither of them have worked out.

What if all United need to get the best out of players like Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Hojlund is a good old fashioned man-manager? That's what Ancelotti would bring to the table, with his no-nonsense approach having rendered great success throughout the years.

'Don Carlo' - as he is colloquially known - is of course currently under contract at Real Madrid, but that deal is due to expire at the end of the current campaign. It's believed Ancelotti is being lined up to take over the Brazil national team, but should United come calling, it might be hard for the 64-year-old to turn down another stint in the Premier League.

A winner of the English top flight while managing at Chelsea, Ancelotti is someone United should have on their list, if they decide to part ways with ten Hag.

Xabi Alonso

Ironically, the man tipped to take charge of Real Madrid after Ancelotti is another auspicious young manager making a name for himself. Xabi Alonso has taken Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen from a relegation candidate when he arrived 12 months ago and turned them into one of the best-performing sides in Europe.

A stellar midfielder during his time as a player, Alonso's side plays with the same tenacity you'd expect from the classy Spaniard. Under the tutelage of Alonso, Leverkusen reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last season and have raced to the top of the Bundesliga this time around, going unbeaten in their first nine outings.

While breaking Bayern Munich's monopoly on the Bundesliga would represent a remarkable achievement during his first full season in management, Alonso has shown the credentials needed to suggest he's one of the continent's best next-gen managers.

Granted, the Liverpool connection could be hard for United and Alonso to get past, but it shouldn't rule him out of the running, if the 20-time English champions need a new boss in the coming weeks.

Zinedine Zidane

You'd be forgiven for thinking Zinedine Zidane has already managed United, such is the constant reference to him whenever the chat about a new Red Devils boss comes around. However, so far that hasn't been the case, but the Frenchman is certainly on the club's radar.

In fact, following United's 3-0 Manchester Derby humbling at the hands of rivals City, Zidane's odds on being the next boss in the manager's hotseat at Old Trafford were slashed. A winner of three consecutive Champions League titles during his time as Los Blancos boss, Zidane certainly has the calibre to go into the United dressing room and command respect from their underperforming talents.

Interestingly enough, Zidane has spoken about taking charge of United in the past, suggesting his poor English skills could prevent him from being appointed manager. That being said, the one-time midfielder did hint he wouldn't rule anything out, claiming he would 'never say never' to the United job.

Should ten Hag's poor showings as United boss continue, expect to see Zidane's name crop up in conversations, with the 51-year-old likely to be considered a genuine candidate to take over.