Manchester United board hit with two consequences if Thomas Tuchel is hired

Erik ten Hag will learn his fate as Manchester United manager this week with the Dutchman set to speak with the club in the coming days.

Senior boardroom members, including co-owners Joel Glazer and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, gathered on Tuesday for a pre-scheduled monthly executive meeting in London. The future of the manager could be a topic of discussion.

Ratcliffe made clear last week that any sack decision rests with Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada and other day-to-day boardroom figures. United have won just three of their 10 matches so far this season and pressure on Erik ten Hag’s position mounts.

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As such, United are lining up Thomas Tuchel as a possible replacement. The German spoke with Ratcliffe over the summer about the manager's role but talks did not advance with the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss walking away.

Tuchel is an attractive option for United given he is not attached to a club and therefore will not cost anything to bring in. However, there are two other factors to consider, one more impactful than the other.

FFP concerns

Perhaps the more pertinent issue for the board is the costs incurred by sacking Ten Hag. Speculative rumours claim Ten Hag might be entitled to a compensation fee of around £16m should he be shown the door.

This ballpark figure should be taken with a pinch of salt given it is yet to be substantiated, but the manager won’t be walking away without his wallet bulked. His contract extension was only triggered a few months ago, before which he surely would have been entitled to less.

Either way, it is money that cannot be then be used in the January transfer window given sacking compensation counts towards spending within Premier League Profit & Sustainability Rules.

However, it might be something that becomes less of an issue if United continue to spiral under the current boss given the revenue at stake for qualifying for Europe and going farther in competitions. It might be a trade-off that becomes more justifiable the lower United sink.

Judgement day

Ashworth and Berrada both outlined that the decision to keep Ten Hag over the summer was made before the start of their employment. The sacking of the Dutchman would be on their watch, though, as would appointing his successor.

Dismissing Ten Hag and enacting a recruitment process would focus more attention on the United board in situ, who can currently claim that the mess the club finds itself in is not of their doing.

The new regime would be responsible for what comes next - whether it be keeping Ten Hag on despite the poor start to the season or finding a replacement, perhaps Tuchel. Ratcliffe has urged the board at Old Trafford to “take stock and make some sensible decisions.”

The Ineos chief also said: “We want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously. That’s very clear.” There is nowhere for the board to hide after this international break, especially so if Tuchel usurps Ten Hag.

Tuchel is an upgrade but not risk-free. The last time he spent three years at a club was at Mainz, whom he left a decade ago, and has a history of rifts with club boards. It’s a call Ashworth and co. will be judged on - not that they don’t already know this, or perhaps mind.