Manchester United's hierarchy are set for a crisis meeting on Tuesday, with Erik ten Hag's future as manager hanging in the balance and Thomas Tuchel emerging as the leading candidate to replace him. The club has endured its worst start to a season in over 50 years, collecting just eight points from seven Premier League games to sit 14th in the table. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, along with Sir Dave Brailsford, CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox, will convene at United's London offices, with majority shareholder Joel Glazer also present.
Tuchel, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager, is available and open to taking the reins at Old Trafford after failing to reach an agreement with the club during summer talks. Should the board decide to part ways with Ten Hag, it is understood that current first-team coach and former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy would step in on an interim basis. The decision comes as United's on-field struggles show no signs of abating: they have scored only five league goals this season, fewer than any other side bar Southampton, and have failed to find the net in their last three top-flight matches.
The financial implications of missing out on Champions League qualification are also weighing heavily on the club's thinking. United's failure to secure a spot last season could cost around £50 million if they miss out again this term, and the board may conclude that a top-four finish is already out of reach. In Europe, United have drawn both of their Europa League group games against FC Twente and Porto, leaving them 21st in the table—only the top 24 progress to the knockout stage.
Ten Hag was retained over the summer despite last year's eighth-place Premier League finish—the club's lowest since the league's inception—and after considering potential replacements including Tuchel. However, the Dutchman needed a strong start to his third season to justify that faith, and with only two wins from seven league games, that mandate has all but evaporated. The meeting on Tuesday is expected to formalise a decision on his future.
