Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is reportedly confident that he will be able to win over the club's new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe in order to keep his job at Old Trafford.
A difficult 2023-24 campaign has led to a host of speculation surrounding Ten Hag's future, with Ratcliffe and his team believed to be considering a change of manager this summer.
Man United could win major silverware this season, with the team in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but they went out of the Champions League in the group stages and are currently sixth in the Premier League table.
The Red Devils are nine points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, who have played a game more, and six points from fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, with fifth in England's top flight looking likely to be enough to qualify for next season's European Cup.
England boss Gareth Southgate and ex-Chelsea manager Graham Potter are currently seen as the favourites to replace Ten Hag, should a change occur this summer.
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However, according to ESPN, Ten Hag is confident that he still has enough time to convince Ratcliffe to keep him in charge for the 2024-25 campaign.
The report claims that the Dutchman is determined to earn the full backing of the INEOS team and feels that a strong end to the season will see him remain in the dug-out.
Ten Hag has a contract at Old Trafford until June 2025, but he has not been offered any guarantees when it comes to his future, and there has been no public backing of the Dutchman since Ratcliffe's arrival.
A recent report claimed that Ratcliffe wants to change the managerial role at Old Trafford to a 'head coach', with the person in the dug-out being asked to concentrate on football rather than off-the-field matters.
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Ten Hag has been in charge of Man United since May 2022, boasting a record of 62 wins, 12 draws and 28 defeats from his 102 matches at the helm.
The 54-year-old led the Red Devils to EFL Cup glory last term and also secured third in the Premier League, which saw the club return to the Champions League this season.
Ratcliffe and his team have taken over the football department at Old Trafford, and Dan Ashworth is expected to soon be confirmed as the club's new sporting director.
Man United will be bidding to make it three straight wins in all competitions when they head to Brentford in the Premier League next weekend, before taking on Chelsea and Liverpool at the start of April.
Matt Law
