Confirmed by Fabrizio Romano Premier League manager has been sacked this afternoon and Graham Potter has taken his place!
While Manchester United struggles to deal with the fallout from their European exit, all eyes are on Sunday afternoon’s Premier League matchup against archrivals Liverpool. United’s problems are made worse by Bayern Munich’s Champions League loss; important players Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw were both substituted out during the game due to injuries.
The fact that United did not qualify for the Europa League after placing last in Group A puts further pressure on the team. A layer of suspense is added off the pitch by the impending investment from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the founder of INEOS, in the shape of a 25% minority takeover valued at £1.25 billion.
The 71-year-old will initially work with the Glazer family, and it is unclear how this deal will affect United’s intentions for the January transfer window. According to reports, Raphael Varane, Casemiro, Donny van de Beek, Jadon Sancho, and Anthony Martial may be moving around the team.
There are presently no intentions to remove manager Erik ten Hag from his position at United, despite the intense disappointment of the Champions League exit. Aware that INEOS would soon arrive, the Glazers are unlikely to make things more difficult by dismissing Ten Hag at this point. That means that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will probably decide Ten Hag’s destiny.
Graham Potter is a manager that INEOS is known to like, and their interest in him was clear even before Francesco Farioli was hired by Nice. Although Brailsford’s support for Potter is acknowledged, it is unclear if INEOS considers Potter to be a qualified candidate for the manager position at Old Trafford should Ten Hag go.
The upcoming changes in ownership dynamics and possible management considerations complicate the story of United as the team moves through a difficult time on and off the pitch.
Not only is the match against Liverpool an important test for United on the pitch, but it also represents a significant test for their continuous transformation and strategic decision-making off the pitch.
