Manchester United are reportedly eyeing Julen Lopetegui to succeed Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford if the Dutchman is sacked.
Ten Hag’s position at the club appears increasingly tenuous after a series of damaging defeats – including a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth, followed by Tuesday night’s 1-0 loss against Bayern Munich – which dumped them out of Europe.
The Cherries secured their first ever win at Old Trafford last weekend, before the club finished bottom of Group A on their return to the Champions League with just one win six.
According to reports from Spanish publication Relevo, the club are already eyeing a replacement should the hammer fall in the coming days.
Former Spain boss Lopetegui is said to be ‘highly-rated’ by United and is ‘well positioned’ to become the club’s sixth permanent boss following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement after 27 years in charge just over a decade ago.
The report also claims that Lopetegui refused an offer worth £15.5m a year to become the latest high-profile manager to take charge of a club in the Saudi Pro League, with the 57-year-old said to desire a return to the Premier League.
Lopetegui departed Wolves in August after nine months in charge of the East-Midlands club, agreeing a seven-figure compensation package to leave just three days before the start of the Premier League season after relations between the Spaniard and the club’s owners deteriorated over transfer policy.