The leading contenders to be next Manchester United manager if they sack Erik ten Hag

Even if Erik ten Hag is struggling to have the desired impact at Manchester United, a glance through the list of favourites to replace him should make the Dutchman feel secure in his job for now.

Ten Hag isn’t the problem at Manchester United. The idea of sacking the manager – another one – is ludicrous, but then Manchester United are a ludicrous football club.

If they did axe Ten Hag, who might be the next fall guy? Here are the favourites according to the bookies…

Zinedine Zidane
The ex-Real Madrid coach has been away from the game for almost two years now but he seems ready to come back. “I feel refreshed now,” he told GQ this summer. “There is nothing better than talking to a player before a match. I need that.”

The thing is, having achieved what he’s achieved while retaining his unique aura, Zidane will have his pick of jobs. He is perennially linked with PSG, the feeling being that if he was going to work in the Paris circus, he would have done it by now. You could say similar about links with United. In what way, right now, would the job at Old Trafford hold any allure for Zizou?

The most recent talk of his next gig centred on Marseille, with it being reported that he had agreed to boss OM if the club was taken over by Saudi investors. And if so, he’d get a huge transfer kitty. Which highlights his bargaining position. United, in their current guise, could offer Zidane very few of the things that will draw him to his next role.

Graham Potter
Arf! Just imagine if United did sack Ten Hag and they replaced him with the man who crashed and burned so spectacularly at Chelsea. Potter has plenty of mitigation – it is hard to imagine anyone succeeding at Stamford Bridge last season, but the ex-Brighton manager needs to re-establish his credentials for the top jobs elsewhere before being considered by the biggest clubs again.

And just ponder the reaction among the egos in the United dressing room. Some of these lads refused to listen to Ralf Rangnick having had to Google the German when he was appointed. The prospect of this squad tuning in to Potter seems… remote.

Ruben Amorim
The names of Zidane and Sporting coach Amorim were those cited by The Times as being considered by Manchester United, who said those claims were “categorically false”, but surely the 38-year-old is exactly the kind of candidate that should be under consideration.

It has been said that Amorim would be “very willing to listen” to Manchester United if they sack Ten Hag.

Roberto De Zerbi
Probably the dream candidate for many Manchester United fans, having made the already-excellent Brighton better in 12 months. But United would likely be wary of what happened to the man above when he was promoted to the big job at Chelsea.

De Zerbi might also be more than a little wary; leaving the safe, incredibly well-run club on the south coast for the sh*t-show in the north would be a massive risk.

Hansi Flick
Flick is still licking his wounds after being shown the door by Germany in September after overseeing just 12 wins from his 25 matches in charge of his country since replacing Low in 2021.

His record with Bayern Munich was far better, winning 70 out of 86 games in the hot-seat at the Allianz Arena. In 18 months, he inspired Bayern to win the Treble in 2019/20. And, as Julian Nagelsmann showed, success at Bayern isn’t guaranteed. He would be a brilliant candidate for the Manchester United job.

Michael Carrick
Having already tried out the club legend thing with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, would Manchester United really recruit from the middle of the Championship? Carrick is undoubtedly on the right track towards Premier League management with Middlesbrough or another club – though that would have seemed a ridiculous idea six weeks ago when Boro were really struggling – but with United? That seems like a massive leap.

Antonio Conte
The Italian seemed thoroughly miserable at Spurs so just imagine his mood if he had to deal with the sh*tshow at Old Trafford. Conte’s head would fall off.

The ex-Chelsea, Juventus and Inter boss is said to be keen on a return to Serie A, with Roma and Milan mentioned as possible destinations for the 56-year-old.

READ: Top 10 best available managers features Conte, Zidane, Flick and… Frank Lampard

Julen Lopetegui
Has had experience of both managing a big club with Real Madrid and managing in the Premier League, both both those jobs ended pretty badly. There was enough in his Wolves spell to suggest that he might be a competent caretaker but on a permanent basis? That seems like a leap. But he would be cheaper than prising a manager out of another job.

Steve McClaren
Give it Macca until the end of the season?

Julian Nagelsmann
Ten Hag is under no immediate threat from Nagelsmann. The 36-year-old (36, FFS) has recently been appointed as Germany coach to guide his nation through the European Championships being played on home soil next summer.

The ex-RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich boss might be available after that but most likely only if Germany have flopped hard. If Die Mannschaft perform creditably at Euro 2024, there will be a clamour to keep him at his post, and it is hard to fathom why he might walk away from managing his country to have a go and managing the unmanageable.

PREMIER LEAGUE SACK RACE: Erik ten Hag second despite decent Premier League form