There is no assurance that Erik ten Hag will continue to lead Manchester United beyond this summer.

Ten Hag was placed under increased duress following United’s 3-1 derby loss at Manchester City on Sunday. With 11 games remaining, United is in sixth place, 11 points behind fourth-place Aston Villa. Ten Hag’s future is contingent on his ability to secure Champions League participation for the upcoming season; however, as that becomes less probable, contenders for the United position have surfaced.

It is believed that managers’ representatives have placed their clients in consideration for the Old Trafford position in the event that Ten Hag, who has one more season on his contract, is terminated at the conclusion of the current campaign. Ten Hag is rumored to have had constructive conversations with new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford, notwithstanding the ambiguity surrounding his position.

It is rumored that Ten Hag, Ratcliffe, and Brailsford share the same long-term strategy for Manchester United, but the Dutchman is well aware that maintaining his position requires victories on the field. While Ten Hag has collaborated with the football operations team of United to identify transfer targets and organize the preseason tour of the United States, his continued leadership for the upcoming season cannot be guaranteed.

Prominent managerial positions, such as those at Liverpool, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich, are up for grabs this summer. Should United opt to part ways with Ten Hag after two years, they may conceivably join these clubs in the process of selecting a new coach.

While there is no indication that United has engaged in official discussions with prospective Ten Hag replacements, the club would be negligent in failing to establish contingency plans in the event that a change is considered essential.

Ratcliffe and his INEOS staff have initiated significant personnel changes on the football side by recruiting Omar Berrada, the former CEO of Manchester City, for the position. Newcastle has placed Dan Ashworth on gardening leave subsequent to Manchester United designating him as their preferred candidate for the position of sporting director.

United has also expressed interest in Southampton’s Jason Wilcox, a former City player who is presently at Southampton, in addition to Dougie Freedman, the current sporting director at Crystal Palace, both of whom are contenders for the position of head of recruitment.

The next two games played by United could significantly impact Ten Hag’s future. United will travel to Everton on Saturday in the Premier League, needing a victory to maintain their improbable push for a top-four finish.

The following day, on March 17, United will host an FA Cup quarterfinal against archrivals Liverpool; this is the club’s final opportunity to secure a trophy this season.