Premier League powerhouse Manchester United finally lost its patience with manager Erik Ten Hag. The club announced on Monday that Ten Hag was relieved of his duties, with his assistant and former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy taking over on an interim basis.
“We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future, “Manchester United said in a short statement shared on their website.
Ten Hag is out following a disappointing start of the season that culminated with Sunday’s 1-2 loss to West Ham United. The loss, Manchester United’s fourth in nine games of Premier League this season, knocked the Red Devils to 14th place on the standings.
Ten Hag started his spell with Manchester United ahead of the 2022-23 campaign and led the club to third place finish and the EFL Cup title. In his second season, he managed to win the FA Cup, but United finished eighth in the Premier League and was knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the Group stage.
After a lot of deliberation and talks with other candidates, the new sporting structure of Manchester United decided to keep Ten Hag and extend his contract. However, after a string of disappointing results, the club executives realized their mistake and reportedly stopped believing that Ten Hag could turn things around.
Manchester United’s search for a Ten Hag’s successor is already underway, with Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim considered the leading candidate for the job.
