Manchester

England boss Gareth Southgate has rebuffed the talks linking him to a potential move to Manchester United to replace under-fire Erik ten Hag at the end of the season. Southgate said his attention was firmly on the upcoming Euros and that he intended to see out his contract with the Three Lions. 

Advertisment

Ten Hag's second season with United has been a complete bust with the team on the brink of finishing without any European football next summer. Naturally, there have been rumours that the United board was seeking a replacement, with Southgate at the top of the list of candidates to replace the Dutchman. 

"I’ve got one thing to focus on. That’s having as successful a tournament with England as possible. Everything else outside of that is a complete irrelevance to me," Southgate was quoted as saying by BBC.

"Well, for me, it's not an issue [distractions] and never has been. I have to deliver a successful tournament for England and there's enough work involved in that. I think everybody would expect that's where my focus should be," he added. 

Advertisment

Southgate's current contract with England expires in December and Euro 2024 is the last opportunity for him to win a silverware with, arguably, the most talented England squad ever assembled in recent times. 

"There will always be speculation about managers because if you lose a couple of games, you're in trouble - you win a couple of games and it is a different agenda," said Southgate. 

"But for me, it [Euro 2024] is a brilliant opportunity. We're looking forward to the tournament. My focus is on how do we go a step further than we went in the last Euros [when they were beaten on penalties in the final by Italy]."

Advertisment

Also read | ‘They don’t have knowledge’: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag slams pundits criticising him

Ten Hag struggles to contain the slide

United under Ten Hag have been playing a poor brand of football, not normally associated with the club. Though injuries have ravaged the United squad, there are clear tactical lapses present in the squad that boils down to Ten Hag and his coaching philosophy. 

The team lost 0-1 to Arsenal on Sunday (May 12) despite the Gunners not getting out of second gear, throughout the match. After the match, Ten Hag likened United's predicament to like "swimming with your hands behind your back".

"You can't progress a team in certain key areas with so many injuries. It's like swimming with your hands on your back and you have to keep your head above the water level, that is what we try to do," said Ten Hag. 

The United manager will have the opportunity to redeem himself as his side square up against Manchester City in the FA Cup final, later this year. 

(With inputs from agencies)