Manchester United are preparing to say goodbye to a coach as two arrivals are lined up.
Following Manchester United’s decision to keep Erik ten Hag as manager, work has been ongoing to strengthen his coaching staff.
Manchester United lost Eric Ramsay earlier this year with the coach taking a manager’s job at MLS side Minnesota United.
In recent days Ruud van Nistelrooy has been linked with arriving, and now Go Ahead Eagles boss Rene Hake is set to join too.
Benni McCarthy to leave
These dual arrivals seemed to indicate a departure was coming, and it has now been verified that Benni McCarthy is set to leave.
The Athletic report Benni McCarthy is set to leave his role on the coaching team. The former Porto striker was hired under Ten Hag in 2022.
McCarthy’s contract is expiring at the end of the month, and it had been claimed by The Times that one of Ten Hag’s demands for his own new deal was for McCarthy to get a new extension.
However, this has not necessarily been refused. Instead, McCarthy’s reason for leaving is because he wants to pursue his own career as a manager, rather than simply be a coach.
Ineos have responded by seeking to hire one of Ten Hag’s close coaching pals, Rene Hake, who will join along with Ruud van Nistelrooy.
So with Ramsay and McCarthy departing in 2024, these two departures will be offset by two new arrivals.
Van der Gaag looks like staying for now
Erik ten Hag’s number two is Mitchell van der Gaag, with Steve McClaren on the coaching team too.
Yet there has been interest in Van der Gaag from Ajax twice within the past year, which he has rebuffed.
It is conceivable they could try again, or another club will, and eventually he might be tempted away.
Along with departures for Ramsay and McCarthy, this really would have left United light.
Now adding Hake and Van Nistelrooy into the mix, Ten Hag has sufficient support if Van der Gaag ever did leave – although for now it looks like he will be sticking around.