Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe reveals why he didn’t sack Erik Ten Hag

Following last season's poor performance, Ten Hag was on the verge of losing his job as manager of Manchester United.

The Red Devils' eighth-place finish in the 2023–24 Premier League season was the team's lowest since the 1989–90 campaign.

However, following a lot of consideration from the board of directors, Ten Hag was told he would remain as the manager and was given a new contract.

The 71-year-old explained his decision to renew Ten Hag’s contract, which will last until 2026. 

In an interview with The Times, Ratcliffe said, “Erik is a good guy and had been doing his best, but doing too much. He was trying to sort out the squad and fix leaks in the roof at the same time.”

United's FA Cup final triumph over rivals Manchester City guaranteed that the team would participate in Europe next season, but after the disappointing league campaign, many still doubted Ten Hag's abilities.

Considering the drastic adjustments Ratcliffe had made around the club, it was a slight surprise that Ten Hag was kept on.

Ratcliffe chose to remain with Ten Hag instead of blowing everything up and starting over, even though supporters and commentators were demanding the Dutchman's head.

The Premier League opener for Man United this season will be against Fulham, with Ten Hag continuing to lead the Red Devils.