Manchester United could be seeing a considerable shakeup to their coaching staff, with news that two members of their team may be moving on. Assistant coach Mike Phelan and advisor Neil Wood have reportedly not been offered the chance to discuss their futures with manager Erik ten Hag. The move comes as a surprise to many, given Ten Hag’s reputation for developing young talent and bringing success to his teams. However, it seems that Phelan and Wood may have been left in the lurch as United look to change things up ahead of the new season. In this article, we’ll explore the latest news about the situation and what it could mean for the club going forward.
Former Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira has revealed he avoided talking to Erik ten Hag over the summer to ensure his departure from Old Trafford. Pereira ended his 11-year stay at United by signing for Fulham in July for £10m. The Brazilian has settled in well with Marco Silva’s side and will return to Manchester for Fulham’s FA Cup quarter-final match against United on Sunday.
Pereira said he purposely avoided a conversation with Ten Hag as he had already made up his mind that he needed to leave United. He said, “In my head I was thinking ‘I need to go, I need to feel confident and play’ and that’s what I did.” Pereira had spent 10 years at United, joining the club as a 16-year-old, and said he wanted to feel more loved and play every game, which made his move to Fulham the perfect opportunity.
Earlier in the season, goalkeeper Dean Henderson admitted he too wanted to leave United before Ten Hag’s arrival. However, he will return to United’s training ground at the end of the season following his loan spell with Nottingham Forest. Henderson said he didn’t want Ten Hag to see him in training and try to keep him, so he had a conversation with the club’s hierarchy before the manager’s arrival, informing them he needed to go and play football.
Both Pereira and Henderson’s decisions to leave United show the importance of game time for players, especially at a young age. Both players felt they needed to play more regularly and felt they weren’t getting the opportunities they needed to develop their abilities. Their moves away from Old Trafford may have been tough, but they have both benefitted from playing regularly with their new clubs.
In conclusion, it appears that the writing is on the wall for these two Manchester United players. Despite reportedly being interested in holding talks with Ajax’s Erik ten Hag, they were ultimately denied the opportunity, suggesting that they have little future at Old Trafford. It remains to be seen where their next footballing ventures will take them, but it seems clear that they won’t be continuing their careers with the Red Devils. As the summer transfer window looms, it will be interesting to see what other moves are made by Manchester United and other clubs alike. One thing is for certain: there’s never a dull moment in the world of football.