Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already identified Erik ten Hag’s replacement as pressure mounts on Man Utd boss

According to a recent report, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already pinpointed a potential successor for Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager for the upcoming summer.

Despite Manchester United reaching their second FA Cup final in two seasons on Sunday evening, the spotlight shifted from the victory itself to the manner in which it was attained.

Under Ten Hag’s management, Manchester United’s team dominated the first half against Championship side Coventry, securing a 2-0 lead, maintaining possession, and generating 11 shots on goal.

Manchester United extended their lead to 3-0 on 58 minutes with a goal from Bruno Fernandes, seemingly putting the game out of reach for Coventry. Despite the recurring narrative of many United matches in recent months, it appeared unlikely that Coventry would mount a comeback.

However, United’s control over the game slipped in the final 30 minutes, leading to a collapse as Coventry scored twice in seven minutes, giving them a late chance to equalize. Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s late penalty conceded in added time was converted by Haji Wright, completing an astonishing comeback for Coventry.

The match was on a knife’s edge in extra time, with Coventry narrowly missing out on victory due to a tight offside call, leading to the game being decided by penalties. Although United emerged victorious in the shootout, questions were raised about Ten Hag’s in-game decisions.

According to German outlet Kicker’s Georg Holzner, United minority owner Ratcliffe had already begun considering potential replacements for Ten Hag even before kick-off at Wembley.

It is reported that the British billionaire has engaged in discussions with Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel about the possibility of joining United for the next season, should Ten Hag depart from the club.

Tuchel’s departure from Bayern Munich comes after a challenging domestic season, during which the club relinquished their stronghold on the Bundesliga title, conceding it to Bayer Leverkusen for the first time since 2013. However, Tuchel’s tenure at Bayern could still conclude on a positive note, with the club advancing to the Champions League semi-finals.

There exists a tangential connection between Tuchel and Ratcliffe, as Tuchel was the manager of Chelsea at the time when Ratcliffe made a late bid for the club in 2022, shortly before ultimately losing out to the Todd Boehly-led consortium.

Although Tuchel’s tenure at Chelsea was short-lived, as he was dismissed in September 2022, Ratcliffe may see an opportunity to collaborate with him at Old Trafford, potentially marking a new chapter in their professional relationship.