United linked with a potential managerial move for Lopetegui

Manchester United brass is already thinking about Erik ten Hag replacements. The Dutch coach is enduring a tough spell at the club and could soon be on his way out. The former Ajax manager only just joined the Red Devils back in the summer of 2022.

Ten Hag performed quite well in his freshman season at the helm of the massive club. The Dutchman collected a Carabao Cup trophy and took the team up to third in the Premier League table. United previously finished sixth in the standings in the season before his arrival.

Ten Hag has struggled to regain its previous form in the current campaign

Nevertheless, the Red Devils have struggled to win adequate matches during the current campaign. United has already lost 12 total games this season, the same number of defeats as they suffered in the entire previous campaign. The club uncharacteristically has also failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase after finishing bottom of Group A. Ten Hag managed to grab just one win in six European matches in the group stage.

Along with a disappointing display in Europe, United also sits back in sixth place in the Premier League. This comes as the club has already suffered seven defeats in league play. Liverpool, Arsenal, and Aston Villa have combined to lose six total games in the division so far this season.

Ten Hag has also made some disappointing transfer decisions for the club in recent months as well. The $100 million move to bring Antony along with him from Ajax has undoubtedly been a disaster. The Dutchman has also helped sanction deals to sign Andre Onana, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund as well. None of the players have reached levels previously seen with former teams.

Spanish report says that Lopetegui is ‘well placed’ to take over at United

With the club fading fast, a recent report has linked United with Julen Lopetegui. Relevo is claiming that Red Devils execs appreciate the Spaniard, and the coach is “well placed” to take over at the English side in the future. Lopetegui is rated highly across Europe, as well as within United, after stays with multiple top teams across the continent.

The former Real Madrid and Sevilla manager has been without a job since departing Wolves in August. The decision to part ways with the manager was, however, not down to results. Lopetegui helped save the West Midlands club last season by taking the team from bottom of the league up to 13th. The coach, instead, left Wolves just days before the current campaign was set to begin due to the team’s precarious financial situation.

The aforementioned report also claims that Lopetegui recently turned down a massive offer from Saudi Arabia. An unnamed Saudi Pro League side offered the Spaniard around $19 million to manage their club. Lopetegui rejected the deal as he wants to remain with a Premier League team.

Another recent report stated that Nottingham Forest is also keeping tabs on Lopetegui. Steve Cooper has been a success at Forest, but the club is currently fighting for survival near the bottom of the table. The East Midlands side has only grabbed one win in league play since early September. Nevertheless, there may be a battle between United and Forest to secure Lopetegui’s signature before the other team makes a move.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.