Potter, Zidane top list of coaching candidates at Man United

Erik ten Hag’s job security at Manchester United is seemingly dwindling by the week. The Red Devils have lost three of their four matches so far during December. As a result, the club fell to sixth in the Premier League table. Its performances in the Champions League dumped the Red Devils out of all European play.

Reports are now begging to surface of potential managerial replacements at the club. Former Sevilla and Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui was linked as a possible next head coach for United on Wednesday. The Spaniard is rated highly within the team’s executive staff and would be interested in the job. Lopetegui recently declined a huge offer to coach in Saudi Arabia to manage a Premier League side in the future.

New minority owner rates former Chelsea coach

One day later, there are two more coaches are now being discussed as possible replacements for Ten Hag. The first, and more surprising of the two names, is Graham Potter. Sky Sports is reporting that the former Brighton and Chelsea boss will be high up on United’s list should they fire their current manager.

The news outlet claims that Potter is respected highly by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s executive group. Potter was even recently thought to be a major managerial candidate for Ratcliffe’s French club Nice. The billionaire owns the Ligue 1 team and is set to take a minority stake in the Red Devils in the coming weeks.

However, the source also claims that there are no immediate plans to sack Ten Hag at the moment. Club brass has also apparently not held any direct conversations with outside coaches either.

Zidane joining Potter among United coaching candidates

British gambling companies currently have Potter as the odds-on favorite to eventually become the next manager of United. Nevertheless, just behind Potter in the line at United is Zinedine Zidane. The former Real Madrid manager was incredibly successful with the Spanish giants.

During two separate spells as head coach of Los Blancos, Zidane collected 11 total trophies. This includes multiple LaLiga and Champions League triumphs. The former France star has become a white whale for many top teams, including United, across Europe. Zidane, however, has opted to remain without a coaching job since departing Real in 2021.

The Frenchman has links with the Red Devils’ job. He later revealed he could not take the job because of the language barrier. “When people say to me: ‘Do you want to go to Manchester?’ I understand English but I don’t fully master it,” Zidane stated in the summer of 2022.

“I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It’s a global context. Me, I know what I need to win.”

It is unclear if Zidane still feels this way more than a year later. Nevertheless, Ten Hag will need to right the ship soon if he wants to remain with the prestigious team. Things do not get any easier for the struggling team soon though. United faces Liverpool at Anfield at the weekend. The Red Devils follow up the tough test with matches against West Ham and Aston Villa.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.