When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was fired as Manchester United manager on November 21, 2022, the club decided to proceed through the remainder of the season with an interim boss and leave a permanent hire until the summer.
The Red Devils selected Ralf Rangnick as interim manager, pulling him from his previous position as sporting director of Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow to lead the side through the rest of the 2021-22 Premier League and Champions League campaigns.
Still, the club has a decision to make as it looks for a permanent boss. Rangnick remains with the interim tag, and Manchester United must decide to either stick with the German, or find a new man to lead the squad long-term.
That search is currently underway and on March 8, football director John Murtough confirmed it. He told investors, “We are now conducting a thorough process for the appointment of a new permanent manager who will take charge this summer, with the objective to get us back to challenging for those domestic and European titles.”
As the club is reported to have held talks with one of the candidates, here’s an updated list of managers rumored to be considered by the club, and their odds for ultimately being named permanent manager of Manchester United.
MORE: Updated Premier League table & races
Who will be next Manchester United manager?
One important bit of clarification here, the official designation on this bet is “Manchester United manager at the start of the 2022/23 Premier League season.”
Odds courtesy of Betfair in UK
| Name | Current Position | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Erik ten Hag | Ajax | 8/13 |
| Mauricio Pochettino | Paris Saint-Germain | 11/2 |
| Thomas Tuchel | Chelsea | 13/2 |
| Antonio Conte | Tottenham Hotspur | 12/1 |
| Luis Enrique | Spain | 16/1 |
| Julen Lopetegui | Sevilla | 25/1 |
| Zinedine Zidane | Unattached | 25/1 |
| Diego Simeone | Atletico Madrid | 25/1 |
| Ralf Rangnick | Man United (interim) | 33/1 |
| Didier Deschamps | France | 33/1 |
| Brendan Rodgers | Leicester City | 40/1 |
| Carlo Ancelotti | Real Madrid | 40/1 |
| Julian Nagelsmann | Bayern Munich | 40/1 |
| Wayne Rooney | Derby County | 40/1 |
| Ralph Hasenhuttl | Southampton | 40/1 |
| Bruno Lage | Wolves | 50/1 |
| Graham Potter | Brighton | 50/1 |
Man United new manager candidates
Here is all the latest regarding each betting favorite as well as other popular names mentioned as possibilities for the next manager of Manchester United.
Erik Ten Hag
It has long been rumored that Manchester United is interested in Ajax manager Erik Ten Hag and a Sky Sports report on March 23 indicated that the club spoke to him due to the “good relationship with Ajax.”
“Erik ten Hag has held positive talks with the club’s hierarchy who are thought to be impressed by his vision and philosophy,” according to the Sky Sports report.
BREAKING! Erik ten Hag has held ‘positive’ talks with Manchester United’s hierarchy who are thought to be “impressed by his vision and philosophy”, but there is no favourite for the role. pic.twitter.com/CEQXk9NlcO
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 23, 2022
The Dutch side showed well in the Champions League this season despite falling to Benfica in the Round of 16, and it has obliterated the Eredivisie for most of this season, backed by an outrageous goal differential of +67, scoring 80 times while conceding just 13.
The Dutchman was reportedly Manchester United’s first choice when Solskjaer was fired, but Ten Hag refused to leave his Ajax post midseason, leading Man United to eventually hire an interim manager and wait until the end of the season, when Ten Hag may be more open to a switch. His Ajax contract runs until the summer of 2023.
English tabloid The Sun reported in mid-February that Manchester United has come to an “internal agreement” that Ten Hag will be the club’s first choice when the time to hire a permanent boss arrives. And Goal reported on March 8 that Ten Hag was the favorite for the job alongside Mauricio Pochettino.
However, one development that could push Ten Hag to leave Ajax early is the departure of Director of Football Marc Overmars, who left suddenly in early February after an internal investigation into illicit text messages sent to a female staff member. It was reported by Dutch media that Ten Hag was close to Overmars and his departure could precipitate the move.
Mauricio Pochettino
While Ten Hag seems to be a favorite of the club’s executive staff, there are reports across England that the players currently in the Manchester United squad prefer Argentine boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Currently in charge in his first full season at PSG, Pochettino has never truly settled in at the French side, with questions over his handling of the squad still surrounding him, especially after the way his team was dumped from the Champions League by Real Madrid. The elimination did not lead to his firing yet, but the feeling is that changes are coming at PSG this summer.
A report from English tabloid The Daily Mail in early February indicated that Man United players preferred Pochettino as the next permanent boss. Pochettino was successful with Tottenham Hotspur for a number of years before his time in London ended on a sour note.
Could Pochettino and PSG reach an agreement to rescind the contract so that he could take the helm of Man United? It’s probably the scenario that the French club would prefer given it’s been revealed that it would cost them over $22 million to sack him and his staff.
Ralf Rangnick
The current interim boss Ralf Rangnick is the incumbent. But the German has not impressed during his time in charge, suffering through a number of setbacks in his quest to secure a Champions League position next season. His team will finish trophyless after exiting the Champions League in the Round of 16 after a home loss to Atletico Madrid.
Rangnick’s time in charge has featured on-field spats with star Cristiano Ronaldo, questions about his tactical inflexibility and formational deployment, questions regarding his use of attacking weapons like Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho, and numerous defensive struggles. These issues have led to a drop in his odds to be hired as next manager, falling well behind favorites Mauricio Pochettino and Erik Ten Hag.
However, no matter who Manchester United hires as next manager, Rangnick could influence the next decision. A report from English tabloid The Telegraph around his original hire as interim boss in early December stated that Rangnick will “have a say” in who is brought on board permanently. He will reportedly stay on as a consultant for two years if he is not named permanent manager this summer. That position is set to take effect on June 1
Other possibilities
Besides Rangnick, Ten Hag, and Pochettino, there are a number of names indicated on the betting list that could be in play.
Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel has gained steam in the wake of the ownership crisis at the club, though the installation of new owners should help settle the ship. Plus, insiders say that it was all just media speculation anyway.
During his roughest patch with Tottenham, Antonio Conte‘s name shot up the list, even passing Rangnick as third-favorite at one point. Some head-scratching comments at press conferences made some believe that he could potentially walk away in the summer. But Spurs have since got back on track and could yet beat out Man United to a Champions League place.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl was mentioned as a possibility after the Saints managed a 1-1 draw against Manchester United in Premier League play in mid-February. Hasenhuttl is close with Rangnick from their time at the Red Bull family of clubs.
Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney is also a reasonable possibility, with Rooney currently in charge of Championship side Derby County. Rooney turned down the chance to interview for the Everton position in early February and would be a natural — albeit inexperienced — choice to lead the Red Devils.
Brendan Rodgers has impressed at Leicester City over the past few years, although this season has been a trying one with injuries and European commitments.
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has been thought of as a possibility at Manchester United for years, and he could push for consideration with an impressive display after ousting the Red Devils in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. His loyalty to Atletico Madrid make a move hard to imagine.
World Cup winner Didier Deschamps has been thought to be considering stepping down from his post as manager of the French national team, where he has been in charge since 2012. He could prove a smart hire with an eye towards convincing French midfielder Paul Pogba to stay on as his contract expires in the summer.