Erik ten Hag wants to receive major compensation after he was sacked by Manchester United.
United announced that Ten Hag had left his role at the club following the controversial 2-1 defeat at West Ham United on Sunday. The result left the Red Devils with just one win in their last eight games – a run that stretches back to the 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.
The decision to sack Ten Hag was unanimous between Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Barrada, INEOS head of sport Sir Dave Brailsford and United sporting director Dan Ashworth. And the Dutchman is said to have accepted the decision with good grace.
He had run out of excuses, and instructed his legal team, including agent Kees Vos, to begin negotiations over compensation that could exceed £7m. Ten Hag signed a new contract extension until 2026 with United in the summer.
The FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City gave Ten Hag a lifeline and a second chance in the job when it looked certain he would be sacked had United not made it to Wembley. His reward was a new extension with him entering what would have been the final year of his deal.
(Image: PA)
After deliberation over his future, Ratcliffe and INEOS concluded Ten Hag would continue on, but that faith only bought him two months of the new campaign. United wanted to give Ten Hag time to work within a new sporting structure. But following a poor season last time out, results worsened.
United continued to back the Dutchman in the summer, with Ratcliffe making the point that the club had bent over backwards to put things in place to give Ten Hag the best chance of success, but he had not repaid their backing.