Julen Lopetegui ‘awaits the call’ from Manchester United should they decide to sack Erik ten Haag in the coming weeks or months.
That’s according to Sport, who provide their own slant on the managerial situation at Old Trafford as the pressure increases on the Dutch coach.
The newspaper explains that Ten Hag’s continuity at Manchester United ‘hangs by a thread’ after they made the club’s worst start to a season in 61 years.
Despite the positives of last season, reports are already starting to name the managers who could replace him.
Julen Lopetegui has been named among the potential options in various reports in England and Sport cover that.
He’s been waiting for offers since leaving Wolves in the summer and his availability on a free transfer is said to be ‘viewed favourably’ by those in charge at Old Trafford.
His time in Spain, coupled with the impressive work he did at Wolves, means he is held in ‘very high regard’ and could be an attractive option.
Lopetegui is keen on returning to the Premier League too, having recently confirmed that he remains in England and wants to work there over anywhere else.
Thus, he is one of the ‘main alternatives’ for Manchester United, who cannot afford options such as Unai Emery, whose Aston Villa contract makes him costly, or Zinedine Zidane, who has ‘excessive salary’ demands.
Lopetegui’s agent appears to be at work, although it’s a stretch to think the manager has a serious chance of being in the Old Trafford hot-seat soon.
