Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United is quite uncertain.
On one hand he’s aided by the drought of managerial availability this summer and the prospect of INEOS giving him another whirl, and on the other it would be no surprise if there’s a clean break in the coming weeks.
One man is apparently waiting for that, with optimism that can frankly only be admired.
Friday’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Julen Lopetegui has gone through a ‘nightmare’ with AC Milan and now ‘waits for United’.
The former Wolves manager was lined up to take charge of the Rossoneri, but a fan campaign has ruined things. Lopetegui isn’t half as bad a manager as that campaign made things look, but the situation got out of control, fan fury went viral, and Milan faced the prospect of starting a war with sections of their own fanbase or giving the cold shoulder to the Spaniard.
Gazzetta state: ‘From enthusiasm to disappointment. Passing through bewilderment and disbelief. This is the emotional and professional journey experienced by Julen Lopetegui in recent weeks.’
It’s not difficult to feel sorry for him, but his Manchester United aspirations may be something of a stretch. According to the Italian newspaper, there’s been contact in place for a while and the Red Devils have ‘pulled his dossier out of the drawer’.
This has pleased Lopetegui, who Gazzetta say has retreated to the Basque region to lick his wounds and be surrounded by family and friends.
The Italian newspaper even end with: ‘The stone-lifter’s son (his dad was a champions lifter of stones!) has taken a lot of beatings in his life, and has always recovered. He has to do it again.’
Manchester United would bring its own set of huge pressures, although the manager certainly seems to be keen.
