If Manchester United change managers, replace Erik ten Hag's nine-man shortlist!

Erik ten Hag, who led United to a top-four finish in his first season at Old Trafford, as well as lifting the Carabao Cup and reaching the FA Cup final, was expected to move on and become a true title contender in 2023/24, but that proved to be the case.

Manchester United spent almost £200 million in the summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Rasmus Hojlen, Mason Mount and Andre Onana in preparation for the 2023/24 season. However, the Reds are already far behind the other Premier League title contenders and may even miss out on the Champions League.

Add to that the fact that the newcomer is in charge of football operations, and Erik ten Hag will find himself in danger regardless of the outcome. According to the Daily Mail, there are rumours that new owner Ratcliffe may be looking for a fresh start at Old Trafford and a nine-man shortlist has been drawn up that could take the Dutch boss's place if he steps down.

But the question is, who is most likely to take over as Manchester United boss? To answer this question, we've ranked the nine contenders from most likely to least likely.

1. Graham Potter

Graham Potter has been rumoured to be the favourite at Old Trafford, so it's no surprise that he is the most likely replacement for Erik ten Hag. Although his time at Stamford Bridge was not easy, his excellent performances at Brighton still made him hot.

Back in December, it was reported that Graham Potter was one of the top choices to replace the Dutchman if INEOS decided to let Erik ten Hag go. However, it remains to be seen whether the Englishman will get another chance to make a big impact.

2. Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel is Todd Boehly's other failed manager at Chelsea. Although Tuchel led the Blues to Champions League glory in 2021, it is clear that the American boss is not seeing the German as a long-term option for himself. Eventually, Tuchel was sacked in 2022 before returning to his home country to coach Bayern Munich.

After a catastrophic slump, Thomas Tuchel is on the verge of losing the Bundesliga title. As a result, the two sides announced that they would part ways after the league ended. However, Tuchel is a success, a man who can lead United back to glory. He is ready to take over Manchester United in the summer and is said to be eager to return to the Premier League, and he could be someone to watch.

3. Roberto De Zerbi

Roberto De Zerbi is the current Brighton manager and is already on the radar of several Premier League top teams. In his first season in charge of the Seagulls, he led Brighton to the Europa League and his popularity is rising every week.

Roberto De Zerbi's emergence in the Champions League seems to be only a matter of time, and if United are not careful, they could miss the opportunity to bring in one of Europe's most promising managers. Pep Guardiola has described him as one of the most "influential" managers of the last 20 years, and it is clear that the Italian coach is quite fancied.

In December 2023, media reported that United could give Roberto De Zerbi a shot if they sacked Erik ten Hag. But the report claims that the Italian is a contender to succeed Pep Guardiola in charge of Manchester City and that United may have to act quickly or they may see their neighbours get him first.

4. Ruben Amorim

Touted by many as the next Mourinho, Ruben Amorim has suitors all over the world, one of whom may be at the top of INEOS. He spent most of his playing career at Benfica and now he is at the helm of one of Benfica's rivals, Sporting Lisbon.

Since taking office, the 39-year-old has restored his glory to Sporting Lisbon, playing an exciting style of football and winning a league title, a Portuguese Super Cup and two Portuguese League Cups. A move to Old Trafford is undoubtedly a step up the ladder, but he's confident about it.

5. Julen Lopetegui

Julen Lopetegui left Wolves just days before the start of the 2023/24 Premier League season and has been out of work since. The Spanish coach is experienced and praised for his pragmatic approach.

6. Nagelsmann

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann will lead his side to the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament as hosts, so his focus will be firmly on the tournament. The 36-year-old Nagelsmann is undoubtedly an extremely wise manager, but whether he can hold authority among United's top players is another question. Even some of the best managers have a hard time getting this group of players to work together in the same direction.

7. Thomas Frank

With Brentford's disappointing 2023/24 season, Thomas Frank's popularity could drop slightly. However, the passionate Hornets boss has done wonders at Brentford. In fact, Brentford are now seen as a full-fledged Premier League side, thanks in large part to the amazing work Thomas Frank has done in motivating his players.

Thomas Frank is expected to take up a position at a higher level of world football and is likely to be at Old Trafford next season. There are stronger contenders on this list, as Thomas Frank's style of play at Brentford doesn't necessarily fit Manchester United's values.

8. Zinedine Zidane

Whenever people talk about the new manager of the Red Devils, Zinedine Zidane is always mentioned, and you would think that he has already managed Manchester United. So far, that's not the case, but Zidane is certainly on United's radar.

Zinedine Zidane, who won three consecutive Champions League titles during his tenure as Real Madrid manager, certainly has the ability to break into the United dressing room and earn the respect of underperforming players. Interestingly, Zinedine Zidane has spoken about the issue of coaching Manchester United in the past and has said that his poor English language skills may hinder his appointment as Manchester United manager. Despite this, the former midfielder has hinted that he will not rule anything out, claiming that he will "never say no" to his work at Manchester United.

9. Postecoglou

Manchester United are currently in the hunt for the last three of the Champions League qualifying round. The Red Devils will face competition from Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur to qualify for the 2024/25 Champions League. As things stand, Postecoglou's Tottenham look more likely than Manchester United to win this game, which could hamper the Australian boss's chances of making the switch.

The former Celtic boss is only getting started with Tottenham and he could be the least likely candidate of all nine candidates. Manchester United are England's biggest club, and the lure of leading the Red Devils at Old Trafford could be enough to warrant Postecoglou to move. Tottenham and Daniel Levy are notoriously difficult to negotiate with at times, and it may take a large compensation to achieve this.