Express Sport readers believe that Manchester United should appoint Zinedine Zidane as their next manager if Erik ten Hag is sacked. The former Real Madrid boss has been out of work since 2021, insisting that he is waiting for the right opportunity to arise before he returns to the dugout.
Pressure has gradually mounted on the shoulders of Ten Hag since the start of the season, with his tactical decisions and transfer demands coming under serious fire. United are sixth in the Premier League and have won seven of their opening 12 games, tasting defeat on five occasions.
The Red Devils’ performances have lacked conviction, with key players looking starved of ideas and motivation. As a result, speculation has started to brew that Ten Hag could be one of the first on the chopping block when Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrives.
Asked whether United should sack the former Ajax boss, 8,253 Express Sport readers replied ‘yes’, with 7,737 voting ‘no’ and feeling that the 53-year-old deserves more time to turn things around at the Theatre of Dreams.
Plenty of managers will be licking their lips at the prospect of becoming United manager if Ten Hag departs, and Express Sport readers believe that the club should put their faith in Zidane, with 5,613 readers voting for the Frenchman to be his replacement.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi was the second-most popular on the vote, following recent links to Real Madrid. Exactly 3,113 voters selected the Italian as the ideal Ten Hag successor, with the ex-Sassuolo boss tipped to leave the Amex Stadium in favour of a bigger opportunity soon.
Surprisingly, despite Middlesbrough’s underwhelming start to the season, Michael Carrick was the third-most-popular candidate to take the reins of United. The Englishman has never shied away from talking up a return to his former club, having enjoyed a brief stint as caretaker boss, and 2,411 Express Sport readers believe that he has what it takes to succeed on a permanent basis.
Ex-Chelsea bosses Graham Potter and Antonio Conte were both more unpopular among voters, with only 1,861 readers feeling that the latter should become United manager. Potter’s reputation took a major hit whilst at Stamford Bridge, and he received the least votes in the poll, with only 1,857 voters feeling that he could get his career back on track by replacing Ten Hag.
