Man Utd facing further embarrassment as new details on Erik ten Hag replacement emerge
Manchester United opted to keep Erik ten Hag in charge this summer despite talks with Thomas Tuchel, but now pressure is increasing on the Dutchman after leading the club to their worst ever start to a season
by Oli Gamp · The MirrorManchester United approached Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness about replacing Erik ten Hag in the summer before being turned down by the coach, according to reports in Germany.
Ten Hag faced huge speculation he could be axed after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign that ended with a FA Cup win and Sir Jim Ratcliffe even had a meeting with ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel over taking the job.
United's hierarchy ultimately opted to keep Ten Hag in charge and extend his contract until 2026, backing him to the tune of £180million in the transfer market. But the scattergun process which led to that result continues to come under scrutiny.
And Ten Hag has since led the club to their worst ever start to a season after picking up just eight points from seven games - including disastrous 3-0 home defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham - with huge pressure increasing on the Dutchman's position.
Now a report from German outlet Bild has claimed that Hoeness was another manager United were interested this summer, in addition to Tuchel, with a suggestion the Red Devils went as far as asking whether he would take the job.
However, it adds that Hoeness "declined" the opportunity to instead stay with Stuttgart - after their superb campaign in the Bundesliga last year that saw them finish second behind eventual winners Bayer Leverkusen - leading them to the Champions League as a result.
Before Hoeness took over at Stuttgart last year, they were regular contenders for relegation and he saved them from the drop at the end of the 2022-23 campaign as his side defeated Hamburg in the relegation play-off.
Hoeness - who spent most of his career playing as an attacking midfielder for Hertha Berlin - started his managerial career with Bayern Munich II before a two-year stint with Hoffenheim, where he secured a ninth place finish in the 2021-22 season.
Ten Hag is set to continue his role as United boss for the time being after appearing to survive a seven-hour crisis meeting chaired by Ratcliffe during the international break.
The former Ajax boss has previously insisted he has the backing of United's leadership team and will be preparing for a must-win home game against Brentford on October 19.
His last two games were a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa and a 3-3 draw at Porto, with United blowing a 2-0 lead in that Europa League clash.
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