Manchester United Ralph Rangnick has been signed to become the new interim boss of the club.
The Red Devils parted ways Ole Gunnar Solskjaer After they lost 4-1 last Sunday watfordThe club is in eighth place in the league table.
United are looking for a new interim boss to take over the reins until the end of the season, with Rangnik among a shortlist of candidates including Rudy Garcia, Lucien Favre, Paulo Fonseca and Ernesto Valverde.
United sources have confirmed they are in discussions with Rangnik, but say a deal with his club Lokomotiv Moscow is yet to be finalised.
United and Rangnik, who only started working with the Russian club in July on a three-year contract, are both keen to honor Lokomotiv, who have a Europa League game at home to Lazio on Thursday night.
The 63-year-old has spoken to United before hiring Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, and also had an interview at Everton before Carlo Ancelotti took over as manager at Goodison Park.
It is understood that if the Argentine is appointed as permanent boss in the summer, plans for Mauricio Pochettino to keep Rangnik in an advisory role at Old Trafford for another two years will not be an issue.
Pochettino has worked under sporting directors at Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain, and would be comfortable with a similar set-up at United.
Manchester United have reached a deal to name Ralph Rangnik as interim manager
Mauricio Pochettino (L) is the No. 1 target to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (R) next summer
Known as the ‘Godfather of German football’, Rangnik’s modern coaching has revolutionized the sport in his homeland. When his six-month term ends, he will take on an advisory role for two years.
Rangnik will not be in charge for Sunday’s trip to Chelsea due to work permit reasons. The 63-year-old has previously managed Hanover, Schalke, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig.
He has held roles as director of football at Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig before most recently moving to Russia. He also worked as a Leipzig boss.
Rangnik has a track record of developing youth and has laid the foundation for the flourishing of the likes of Erling Haaland, Timo Werner and Dayot Upmecano in Salzburg and Leipzig.
United have tied up with Rangnik, who will take on an advisory role after his term ends
Rangnik has previously held talks with United and was the club’s top choice for an interim role.
Rangnick is known as the ‘Godfather of German football’ and is said to have inspired Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp (right).
While United have experienced players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, the Red Devils have a relatively young team with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood still in the early stages of their careers.
It remains to be seen whether Rangnik chooses to hold on to Solskjaer’s backroom staff who did not accompany the Norwegian over the weekend.
Kieran McKenna, Mike Phelan and Michael Carrick are still at Old Trafford – the latter having overseen United’s 2-0 win over Villarreal in midweek.
It remains to be seen whether Rangnick (left) catches up with Solskjaer’s old staff, including Michael Carrick (right)
United have opted to appoint an interim boss after admitting that achieving their main target – Mauricio Pochettino – is too difficult at this stage.
Although PSG denied on Wednesday that an official approach for Pochettino has been ruled out, SportsMail understands that United had tried to find out carefully through third parties whether the former Tottenham boss was hired as permanent manager. A move to install as soon as possible would be a realistic option.
However, PSG has refused to let Argentina go mid-season and disrupt their campaign, although Rangnik is expected to re-emerge as a prime candidate for the United job in the summer after his term ends. .
in an interview with coach’s voiceIn , Rangnik explained how during his time as Leipzig and Salzburg Technical Director, he placed great emphasis on the discovery and development of players. He surprised owners when he planned to sell players to double digits within two years of their arrival.
Rangnik has an impressive track record with the youth which will be crucial for the development of Marcus Rashford (L) and Mason Greenwood (R).
Jadon Sancho has struggled to make an impact, but will hope to make his mark under Rangnik
The 63-year-old preferred signing young players and quickly recruited Nabi Keita, Sadio Mane and Kevin Kampel. He also focused on ‘club building’ rather than ‘team building’, striving to create a stronger link between the club and its fans.
Relations between the club and fans at United have deteriorated in recent years, with supporters storming to oppose Glazers’ ownership in the wake of the European Super League face-off at Old Trafford at the end of last season.
Nicknamed ‘The Professor’, Rangnik is credited with devising Gjenpres and has proved to be an inspiration for Premier League managers Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.
‘I was honored when Jurgen Klopp suggested I be the best German coach could be,’ Rangnick told the same outlet. ‘He and I have known each other for over 20 years, and we definitely appreciate each other.
Rangnik was responsible for recruiting Sadio Mane to Salzburg and selling it for a large profit.
‘It’s common knowledge that we have a similar idea of how football should be played, and I think that’s why he’s said good things about me.
The Mai Hoffenheim team played against Jurgen’s Borussia Dortmund back in 2008. We beat them 4-1 and Jurgen said a week later, before his next game, that our style was exactly the kind of football he wanted to play with Dortmund.’
Although committing to two separate managerial appointments is a peculiar tactic, Old Trafford are said to be satisfied with the hierarchy that an interim will provide stability and momentum while giving them the freedom to install permanent replacements at the end of the season.
It also shows that United know their favorite target won’t be available until the summer – be it Pochettino or someone else. Ideally, he would have kept Solskjaer in charge until then, but United’s alarming fall forced the club to change plans.
His focus is on ‘club building’ rather than ‘team building’, and his expertise could be useful to United fans frustrated with Glazers’ ownership.
Solskjaer said in an emotional farewell, ‘You know what this club means to me and what I wanted to achieve here.
‘For the club, for the fans, for the players, for the staff. I wanted us to take the next step to challenge for the league, to win trophies and I think it’s true that it all comes from the horse’s mouth.
‘It’s been a ball. Let’s keep supporting this team, you have to be with them. They [the fans] It’s been amazing with me since one of my first kicks of the ball, I’ve scored with one of the first ones I’ve ever scored.
‘I’m sure we’ll meet again because if anywhere I go to watch a football game, it’s at Old Trafford.’
Rangnik will be tasked with uniting the table after a poor start to the campaign
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