Gary Neville will not be granted his wish of having Diego Simeone manage Manchester United any time soon. The passionate Argentine is reportedly set to extend his contract with Atletico Madrid to extend his 12-year stint as their head coach.
Pressure has mounted on the shoulders of Erik ten Hag since the start of the season, with United suffering several disappointing defeats despite heavily investing over the summer. Reports are circulating that the ex-Ajax boss is losing the faith of his squad and questions are being raised about whether a managerial change is on the cards soon.
Ten Hag’s blushes were spared over the weekend when Bruno Fernandes popped up with a late winner against Fulham to secure a significant 1-0 win. The Red Devils’ performance did not justify the three points though, with players still looking unconvincing in possession and drained of confidence.
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe hopeful of making his mark on the club when he buys a 25 per cent stake in United, Ten Hag will need to ensure that he is not the first big name on the chopping block this season. Several replacement ideas have been sounded out, with Neville previously announcing that he would like Simeone to manage his former side.
However, that may no longer be an option. According to Marca, the 53-year-old has signed a contract extension with Atletico Madrid and all that awaits is an official announcement.
The new deal is set to see Simeone remain at the Estadio Metropolitano until 2027, and his adoration for the club will make him very tricky to prise away in the future – meaning Neville may never get his wish. The former right-back spoke in depth previously about the former River Plate boss taking the reins at United prior to Ten Hag’s appointment.
He said: “Diego Simeone should be a candidate, but it’s never been achievable to get him out of Atletico Madrid. He is wedded in there, he is tied. But it would be brilliant to see him in the Premier League. I’ve seen it many times – I got beaten 2-0 in Valencia by his brilliant Atletico Madrid team that Griezmann was in before he went to Barcelona.
“Fantastic coach, brutal in how he approaches the game, I think in every single way. He’s tough, and Manchester United need a tough manager. Manchester United need a manager who can compete with Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – they’re the best, so they need someone who can stand on that touchline and feel equal to them and I think Simeone could.”
