No clarity about Ten Hag’s future after Manchester United summit | Manchester United

No clarity has been provided over Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United following a summit meeting of the club’s hierarchy on Tuesday, during which the Dutchman’s position as manager was discussed.

The meeting, a regular agenda appointment of the executive committee, took place in Knightsbridge at the Ineos offices. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the company’s owner and United’s largest minority shareholder, led the discussions with Omar Berrada, United’s chief executive, Dan Ashworth, the sporting director, and Jason Wilcox, the technical director.

Because it was a regular meeting of the committee, no announcement would normally be made afterwards unless an important decision had been made. After the meeting, club staff had no indication that this had occurred. However, the Ratcliffe-controlled football department, which is led by Ashworth, could still make the decision to remove Ten Hag in the coming days.

The 54-year-old has suffered United’s worst ever start to a Premier League season with eight points from seven games and just five goals. They are five points above the relegation zone and six points below fourth place going into the latest international break. If Ten Hag is sacked, The Guardian understands that his assistant, Ruud van Nistelrooy, is a potential option as caretaker manager if time is needed to appoint a permanent replacement.

Van Nistelrooy, who became Ten Hag’s assistant in July, led PSV Eindhoven in all but one match of the 2022/23 season, winning the KNVB Cup. During the summer, Thomas Tuchel was interviewed by Wilcox in Monaco about a possible replacement for Ten Hag. The German remains important if a change is deemed necessary.

Meanwhile, Harry Maguire will be out of action for a “couple of weeks” after suffering a leg injury during Sunday’s goalless draw against Aston Villa, the defender has announced. “I’m frustrated because I picked up an injury this weekend. It will be a few weeks on the sidelines for me but I will come back stronger,” Maguire wrote on Instagram.