Erik ten Hag has opened up on the ‘confrontational’ talks he held with Sir Jim Ratcliffe after learning the Manchester United chief had sounded out potential candidates to replace him.
After overseeing United’s worst ever Premier League campaign, the Dutchman was thought to be on the verge of the sack before he masterminded his side’s unlikely FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Despite ending a turbulent season on an uplifting note, United’s key decision makers took their time before granting Ten Hag a third season at the helm.
Indeed, Ratcliffe and his new-look boardroom team held discussions with a number of possible replacements, including former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.
Eventually, however, the INEOS chief decided that the best course of action was to stick with Ten Hag and relayed the news to the 54-year-old at a tense Ibiza summit meeting.
‘They didn’t say “we still want to go on”, but: we want to go on,’ he told Dutch publication AD..
‘The argument they gave was in a short summary: we looked at everything and put it next to each other, but we think we already have the best manager in house.
‘Then I said: “then we have to discuss a number of things, about how we interact with each other and work together.” We had a good, honest, but also confrontational conversation about that. As it should be at the top.’
‘I also said to them then: if you think this is not the way, then we just have to break up.’
Having given Ten Hag a vote of confidence, United have made solid progress in bolstering his coaching staff and first team squad.
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake as assistant managers, while United have already confirmed the signings of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.
United will now press ahead with plans to strengthen their midfield and are hopeful of agreeing a deal to sign PSG’s Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte.
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