- Ten Hag has been defiant on the subject of his future as the season winds up
- Frank has caught the eye of both the Red Devils and top-flight rivals Chelsea
- Have Chelsea offered Manchester United a way out of the Erik ten Hag darkness through Mauricio Pochettino’s exit? – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off! Podcast
A football agent who works Erik ten Hag‘s representatives SEG has appeared to link Thomas Frank’s team to Friday’s news that the Manchester United manager will reportedly be sacked regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s FA Cup final in a now-deleted post on social media.
Ten Hag has been under increasing pressure in the wake of the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group, with the petrochemicals billionaire purchasing a minority stake and taking over footballing operations at Old Trafford in February.
Man United limped to a dismal eighth-place Premier League finish at the end of their campaign, their lowest in the league’s history, and European football will be dependent on the team’s showing against opponents Manchester City at Wembley.
The Dutch manager has been publicly confident that he will remain in his position as part of Ratcliffe’s proposed club rebuild.
But as speculation mounts over the timing of Ten Hag’s departure, an SEG representative seemed to weigh in on the developing story.
Erik ten Hag is believed to be awaiting his Man United marching orders after Saturday’s final
INEOS are believed to be considering Thomas Frank as one of the candidates for head coach should they make the change
Carl Thomas works for Sports Entertainment Group, whose founder represents Ten Hag
‘I would like to shake Thomas Frank‘s PR guy by the hand,’ Carl Thomas, who has worked at SEG since 2010, posted on social media. ‘Sensational work.’
The Tweet was later deleted, but the timing of Thomas’ social media post seemed to imply that the Brentford manager’s PR team was somehow involved in Friday’s bombshell announcement.
Ten Hag – who is represented by group founder Kees Vos – has close links with the agency, and his appointment at Old Trafford in 2022 has seen a number of agency players recruited by the club.
The manager’s side Nigel also works for SEG as an analyst.
Frank’s representatives have been contacted by Mail Sport for comment.
Mail Sport reported last week that Frank is believed to have a number of admirers at Old Trafford, and previously linked up with the influential Sir Dave Brailsford before INEOS’ investment in the club.
Frank admitted in an interview with Mail Sport this week that he had ambition to manage at a big club after successfully transforming Brentford’s fortunes since his appointment in 2018.
The Danish manager said that he was happy at the west London side, but hinted: ‘if a big club comes kncoking on my door, I need to consider it.
‘We all have an ego,’ Frank admitted.
Outgoing Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has emerged as one of the frontrunners
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna is also under consideration at the club to take the helm
Ex-Chelsea coach could yet move to Old Trafford – and see Frank replace him in west London
But Frank is only one of a handful of head coaches currently believed to be in the running to take over should Ten Hag be dismissed at the end of the season.
Former Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel, ex-Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, and Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna are also thought to be key candidates, as well as England head coach Gareth Southgate.
If Man United do decide to pursue Frank single-mindedly, however, they may face opposition from a rival closer to his current home.
Fellow west London side Chelsea have thought to have named Frank to a four-man shortlist of head coaches to replace Pochettino in their managerial merry-go-round, which also includes McKenna, Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca, and a currently unknown fourth candidate.
