o manager as Ten Hag savages media 'lies' over sack talk

Manchester United are reported to have contacted former Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic over replacing Erik ten Hag as manager – but the Dutchman continues to insist he is safe in the job and is fed up with ‘lies and fairytales’ about his future.

The Red Devils face Brentford on Saturday in a game seen to be crucial for Ten Hag’s future with Manchester United struggling down in 14th place with just two wins from their seven games played so far. And with United winless in five matches going into the match, it is understandable why Ten Hag is under such intense pressure and with the board discussing the possibility of replacing him during the recent international break.

With speculation rising over potential replacements for Ten Hag, BILD journalist Christian Falk has revealed that INEOS have ‘already been in contact’ with Terzic.

Falk wrote in the Daily Briefing: ‘Another Dortmund coach is very highly rated on Manchester United’s managerial shortlist at the moment – it’s Edin Terzic. There has already been contact with the 41-year-old and they’ve been watching him since the summer.

‘United is very impressed with how he reached the Champions League final with Dortmund. Terzic is also available on the market as a free agent, so let’s see how it works out with Erik ten Hag. But I heard that Edin Terzic is one of three candidates considered to succeed the Manchester United boss.’

Ten Hag, however, continues to insist he is not in danger and has blasted the media for what he sees as a witchhunt.

“The noises came from the media, some of you, not all of you. Some of you are coming up with stories, creating stories, creating fairytales, bringing a noise, bringing lies,” Ten Hag said at Friday’s news conference.

“I know we are all on one page at this club. I’ve said this before the break to some journalists who probably didn’t believe me as I saw the reports. Internally at the club, it’s quiet.”

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Ten Hag, though, admits he needs an improvement to prevent the heat from growing over his position.

“Of course we are discussing the position we are in and we’re unhappy with that. We have to turn the corner and that’s the strategy to turn this corner. We are quiet and composed, stick to the plan and are convinced we will turn the corner.

“We face challenges in football, sometimes it goes up or down. I’m sure we will make this a success as we did the last two seasons.

Despite those denials, sources have informed us that the club were very much strongly debating whether to axe Ten Hag with minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe recommending to the board at that meeting at INEOS’s central London headquarters that the Dutchman be replaced as manager.

However, the ultimate decision has been left in the hands of chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth – two men that the British billionaire trusts – and they will decide both if and when to pull the trigger and over whom should replace him.

We first broke you the news that Thomas Tuchel was Ratcliffe’s No.1 choice to take charge, though that option has since been removed by the German’s surprise appointment by England this week.

Instead, we understand United have both Graham Potter and Eddie Howe in their sights, while the interest in Terzic, nor Saturday’s opposition boss Thomas Frank, cannot be discounted either.

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Frank has refused to rule himself out of taking on the job, insisting nothing is certain in football.

“I’ve said many times I’m very happy at Brentford,” Frank told talkSPORT.

“Who knows what will happen in the future. Maybe I stay here for many years. I’m open, maybe something happens.

“It’s very difficult to predict the future. Who knows what will happen.

“How many coaches have been at the same club more than six years? Very few. [It’s] the nature of the game, let’s put it that way.”

United, meanwhile, have also been encouraged to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand, with one former Premier League keeper feeling the would be an ideal fit for their engine room.

Hjulmand would not come cheap, however, owing to the €80m (£66.5m, $87m) release clause in his contract.

Elsewhere, Falk has suggested United have an opportunity to take advantage of Leroy Sane’s contract situation and swoop to bring the Bayern Munich star back to the Premier League.

How does Terzic record compare to Ten Hag?

How Erik ten Hag’s record compares to Edin Terzic

Currently out of work after leaving Borussia Dortmund last summer, Terzic saw his stock rise after guiding BVB to the 2024 Champions League final, which they lost to Real Madrid at Wembley.

Terzic also aided his cause by getting a consistent tune out of then-loanee Jadon Sancho, following his struggles at Old Trafford, with the 41-year-old very much seen as a popular man among his players.

However, despite guiding BVB to an impressive 103 wins from 156 games, including success in the DFB-Pokal in 2021 – during what was the first of two stints at their helm – the German only has three years of managerial experience under his belt and may be seen as a somewhat risky choice by United were they to sack Ten Hag.

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