Manchester United's announcement could not have come at a better time. After months and months of speculation, the Red Devils have finally announced the true successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and to no one's surprise, it is Erik ten Hag.
The English giants officially confirmed the Dutch tactician as their new permanent manager, with the current Ajax boss set to replace interim leader Ralf Rangnick once the ongoing season comes to an end.
This announcement comes just days after the 20-time English champions' embarrassing 4-0 loss away to Liverpool. After that game, it became evident more than ever that the Manchester United rebuild needed to commence as soon as possible.
Initially, Ten Hag was not believed to be the favorite to replace Solskjaer as the club's next permanent gaffer. PSG's Mauricio Pochettino was thought to have had the edge, but according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the 52-year-old had been priority no.1 ahead of the Argentine for quite some time.
Ten Hag will make the move to Old Trafford on a three-year deal running until June 2025, but there is an option to extend by another year should he prove to be the man to turn the Red Devils' fortunes around. The English giants beat out interest from two Bundesliga clubs and have landed their man, but they aren't the only ones happy with this deal, as Erik spoke highly of the opportunity to take over such a prestigious club.
"It is a great honor to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead," the Dutchman told Manchester United's official website. "I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.
"It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United."
Football director John Murtough was extremely happy to welcome the new head coach, stating: "During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team's attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.
"In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that.
"We wish Erik the best of luck as he focuses on achieving a successful end to the season at Ajax and look forward to welcoming him to Manchester United this summer."
Ten Hag will make the move to the Theatre of Dreams after completing this season. As for now, Cristiano and Co. must simply focus on finishing the campaign as strongly as possible. The 4-0 Anfield defeat leaves Rangnick's men in sixth, three points behind Tottenham and Arsenal, who are fourth and fifth respectively. Additionally, the Red Devils, who travel to the Emirates Stadium this weekend, have played a game extra and are only two-points ahead of seventh-placed West Ham.
