Manchester United are ‘VERY CLOSE’ to appointing Erik ten Hag as their new permanent manager

Manchester United have held formal talks with Ajax to establish the full terms of Erik ten Hag’s release, with an agreement to appoint the Dutchman described as ‘very close’.

The Dutchman is emerging as a leading candidate to become the club’s new permanent head coach along with Mauricio Pochettino and United have taken a significant step towards Ten Hag’s appointment.

It is understood United chiefs made enquiries as to how much it will cost to release Ten Hag from his contract from the Amsterdam club earlier this week.

Erik ten Hag is ‘very close’ to being appointed as Manchester United’s new manager

Ten Hag (right) is set to beat Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino (left) to the job

It is believed Ajax would be due £1.6million (€2m) for Ten Hag, who signed a new two year contract with the Dutch club last summer.

However, Ajax would also demand compensation for any staff Ten Hag decides to bring with him from Amsterdam which would push the total package closer to the £2million mark.

The comparatively small compensation fee to lure Ten Hag would not prove preventative for United should they decide the 52-year-old is the man they want to replace interim boss Ralf Rangnick ahead of next season. 

Ten Hag is now set to take over from interim boss Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford this summer

Reports also claimed that the reason Pochettino wasn’t selected for the role was due to PSG’s struggles this season and the fact it would cost considerably more to release the Argentine from his contract in Paris, which he still has 12 months left on. 

The former Spurs boss is expected to leave the French club at the end of the season regardless of how their campaign ends, with Zinedine Zidane and Antonio Conte among the managers interesting the Ligue 1 side. 

More to follow