Man Utd’s incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth holds secret meeting with Graham Potter as pressure builds on Ten Hag
MANCHESTER UNITED’S incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth has met with Graham Potter as pressure grows on Erik ten Hag.
Ex-Chelsea boss Potter is the favourite of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his assistant Sir David Brailsford to become Old Trafford boss if the new Red Devils part-owner fires Ten Hag.
Ashworth and Potter worked closely at Brighton and it is understood the pair got together last weekend.
SunSport revealed in December Potter was lined up to replace Ten Hag after Ratcliffe met with the 48-year-old.
Potter, sacked by Chelsea in April after just six months in charge, has snubbed several offers as he waits for the right job to get back into management.
Ratcliffe is a big fan of the ex-Brighton boss and tried to get him to manage his French side Nice.
The United supremo failed to publicly back Ten Hag last week when he conducted a series of interviews for the first time since taking control of footballing operations.
When that was put to Ten Hag, the ex-Ajax chief replied: “I don’t care.”
Ratcliffe has already brought in a new CEO in Omar Berrada, poached from neighbours City.
Ashworth, placed on gardening leave by Newcastle, is next in his sights and United are trying to thrash out a compensation deal with the Magpies demanding double the £10million offered.
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Ten Hag, who celebrates his 100th match in charge in the Manchester derby on Sunday, insists he feels safe in his position after a number of conversations with Ratcliffe and his right-hand man Brailsford.
But Ratcliffe is looking closely at Ten Hag’s recruitment record since moving to United in the summer of 2022.
He had a good first season, winning the Carabao Cup, reaching the FA Cup final and finishing third in the Premier League.
But United crashed out of Europe with their lowest ever Champions League group-stage points tally of FOUR this term.
They are eight points off the top four in the Premier League.
Failure to make the Champions League next season will have a severe effect on recruitment.
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