Blog 28: The 3 Favourites To Replace Solskjaer

What a week it has been for the Man United fans, a total rollercoaster. Following Sunday's 0-5 defeat against Liverpool raised questions about Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer's long-term future at the club. He has done a tremendous job for Manchester United and is probably the best performing manager since Sir Alex Ferguson.

Solskjaer has survived similar setbacks, most notably a 6-1 Old Trafford defeat to a Tottenham Hotspur team managed by Jose Mourinho. It's been clear from the owners and management that Ole will continue to manage the team for their trip to London, where they will be playing against Spurs, who are just one point ahead of them in the Premier League table. 

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The next three matches will be crucial for Man United's board to offload their current manager. It's clear that the expectations are high, and there's a lot of pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Following the reports, there were many candidates who United have shortlisted and could be the successor of Solskjaer. Let's take a look at some of the managers who could replace him at Old Trafford.

1. Antonio Conte

Conte is a serial winner, and he is a charismatic character. His energy on and off the pitch is infectious. He demands the same energy level from his players on the field and would be the best candidate considering he is open to joining the club as soon as possible. He is a manager who won't make exceptions to his expectations. It doesn't matter how big the player is. He will be out of the door if he doesn't put in the work. 

Antonio Conte is currently the best manager who is currently out of contract. The only thing United would worry about is his expressive nature. Conte will not keep quiet if the club fails to back him in the transfer windows, unlike Solskjaer. Although when it comes to quick results, Conte is probably the man United should appoint. His history speaks for himself, but his attitude could make or break the deal at United. 

2. Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane is one of the world's greatest football players, and he carried out that aura with him when he took charge of Los Blancos. The former Real Madrid manager took charge of the La Liga side with no previous managerial experience but went on to win three consecutive Champions League trophies. 

Zidane has also coached Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane in the past. Ronaldo, in particular, had an excellent relationship with the Frenchman, which could be the key if the Glazers look to appoint a replacement of Solskjaer. The former Real Madrid manager wanted to bring in Paul Pogba but could not due to obvious reasons and would have the chance to work with him at Old Trafford and get the best out of his fellow countryman.

3. Erik ten Haag

If Manchester United wants to play beautiful football, then this is the man to do it. He has an attacking philosophy that is proven on the biggest stage. Ten Hag took Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, and they were miserable to lose out to Spurs over two legs. His football with Ajax is the crème de la crème, and the one player who would relish ten Hag's arrival is Donny Van de Beek. 

The Dutchman thrived under his management at Ajax before he agreed on a deal to join the Red Devils and fell by the wayside under Solskjaer. Although he is an outsider and has not been associated with the club like Solskjaer, he would be the best long-term fit.