Sir Jim Ratcliffe on Erik ten Hag's Future: "Not My Call"

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has addressed the growing speculation surrounding manager Erik ten Hag, stating that the decision about his future is “not my call.” Ratcliffe, who took control of football operations at Old Trafford in February, confirmed that the club had activated a one-year extension in Ten Hag’s contract back in July. However, after a challenging start to the season, he emphasized the need for the United hierarchy to “take stock and make some sensible decisions.”

When asked if he still has confidence in Ten Hag, Ratcliffe chose to sidestep the question, telling BBC Sport, “I don’t want to answer that question.” His remarks came after watching Ineos Britannia make history as the first British sailing team to reach the Americas Cup final since 1964, just a day after United’s disappointing 3-3 draw with Porto in the Europa League, where they squandered a two-goal lead despite being down to ten men.

Ten Hag has enjoyed some success during his tenure, securing two trophies in two years at United. His standout moment came with a crucial 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final last May, a win that helped him retain his position. In his first season, he ended the club’s six-year trophy drought with a victory against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup and achieved a respectable third-place finish in the Premier League.

However, the second season has been a different story. United was eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage and finished eighth in the league. They managed to end the previous season on a high note with the FA Cup win over City.

Ten Hag’s original contract was set to expire at the end of the current season, but following a review of the team’s performance in 2023-24—which included talks with potential replacements—Ratcliffe’s team decided to extend his contract until 2026. Now, just ten games into the new campaign, with United sitting in 13th place in the Premier League and winless in Europe, speculation about Ten Hag’s future is intensifying, especially with a challenging match against high-flying Aston Villa on the horizon before the international break.