The no.2 candidate for the permanent head coach role has been revealed in case the Red Devils miss out on Pochettino.

Man United have all but secured a temporary head coach, with iconic German tactician Ralf Rangnick set to be announced as the immediate replacement for the sacked Ole Gunner Solskjaer. However, according to several sources, the former RB Leipzig man will only take over the Red Devils until the end of the current season, with the 63-year-old set to be promoted to a consultancy role once his interim six-month job comes to an end.

This means that while Rangnick's services have been all but secured, the search for the long-term successor to Ole continues, with the goal being to hire a new permanent manager next summer. Mauricio Pochettino remains the no. 1 candidate, with the Premier League giants keen on prising him away from PSG this summer after failing to land him right away.

However, dealing with the Ligue 1 giants is never easy and should the Argentine tactician fail to leave the Parc des Princes earlier than his contract stipulates, then Man United will shift their focus to none other than Erik ten Hag. This is according to the Daily Mail, with the British news outlet claiming that the highly-rated Ajax boss has risen to the no.2 spot on the club's shortlist.

The Dutch head coach isn't short of admirers. After leading Ajax to an unforgettable 2018/19 campaign in which they reached the semifinals, Ten Hag saw several of his key players pillaged by the continental powerhouses, with De Jong, De Ligt, Ziyech, and Van de Beek all leaving in a short span.

However, the Eredivisie giants are back at their best, playing silky football and taking this season's UEFA Champions League tournament by storm, With five wins out of five, 16 goals scored – a figure bettered only by Man City and Bayern Munich – and three goals conceded; Ajax boast one of the best attacks and the joint-second best defense.

According to the Dally Mail, Ten Hag himself is open to the move and while de Godenzonen are worried by this, the Dutch club will not stand in his way if the 51-year-old decides to go to Old Trafford. This is great news for the 20-time Premier League champions, given that they already boast great relations with Ajax and their chief executive Edwin van der Sar.

For now, Carrick remains in charge at the Theatre of Dreams caretaker and will lead the club in Sunday's tricky trip to Premier League leaders Chelsea. Rangnick should be in the dugout in time for Thursday's showdown with Arsenal, bar any complications, but all eyes will be on the upcoming summer and who Man United appoint as their permanent head coach.