Erik ten Hag’s future in charge of Manchester United is increasingly uncertain, with the Dutchman potentially leaving the club after this weekend’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
INEOS have distanced themselves from publicly commenting on Ten Hag’s future but there is no guarantee that he will be kept around to lead the club under the new ownership.
Wholesale changes have already been thrown into motion by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with new leading executives set to begin their roles within the club this summer.
On the managerial front, Ten Hag is under pressure to keep his job after a disastrous second season in charge but there will be more clarity on that front after the FA Cup final.
In the event that Ten Hag is let go, there are a number of options that have been discussed in the press, with Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate and Mauricio Pochettino all thrown into the hat.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Pochettino could be open to the idea of joining the club after it was announced that he had left Chelsea.
Now, it is being reported that Chelsea and Manchester United are gunning for the same man, with Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna catching the eye of the Premier League elite after being promoted to the Premier League with a stunning 2023/24 Championship effort.
According to Football Insider, McKenna is the subject of interest from both clubs as they are plotting to make him their next permanent manager.
As per the report, Chelsea have already initiated talks with McKenna’s representatives as he matches their criteria, with Ipswich also making a push to convince McKenna to stay as they eye survival in the Premier League next season.
United, who reportedly first revealed their interest in bringing the former Reds coach back to the club in April, are said to be inclined to approach Ipswich to ask about his availability.
McKenna has three years remaining on his contract at Ipswich and any deal to sign him would have to be negotiated with the newly-promoted club.
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In a summer already marked by high drama in the soccer world, Tottenham Hotspur captain Heung-min Son has delivered a stunning announcement: he will leave the club this summer after more than a decade of service. The 33-year-old forward confirmed his decision during an emotional press conference ahead of Tottenham’s preseason friendly against Newcastle United in Seoul. This match may now serve as his farewell appearance for the club. Spurs head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed that Son will start and captain the side in Sunday’s game. "I have decided to leave the club this summer. Respectfully the club is helping me with this decision," said Son. "It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. Such amazing memories. It was so hard to make the decision. "I need a new environment to push myself. I need a little bit of change — 10 years is a long time. I came to north London as a kid, 23 years old, such a young age. I leave this club as a grown man, a very proud man. "I want to say thank you to all the Spurs fans for giving me so much love. I hope the goodbye is also good timing and this is the right time to make that decision. I hope everyone can accept that and respect that." Son joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013 and has since made 454 appearances, scoring 173 goals, sitting fourth on the club’s all-time scoring list. His final competitive outing is likely to remain the Europa League final victory over Manchester United in Bilbao, offering a storybook ending to a glittering career in north London. The South Korean revealed he made the decision some time ago, informing only a few teammates before speaking with Frank ahead of preseason. Son is reportedly exploring a move to Major League Soccer (MLS), with Los Angeles FC emerging as a leading contender. Interest from Saudi Arabian clubs also persists. He now becomes the latest high-profile departure at Spurs following Harry Kane’s 2023 transfer to Bayern Munich, as the club enters a new era under Frank, who joined from Brentford earlier this summer.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in July before he strained his hamstring legging out a triple. He was placed on the injured list, and it only got worse from there. Less than 24 hours later, manager Pat Murphy said Chourio would be out beyond the 10-day minimum and possibly at least a month. On Saturday, beat reporter Curt Hogg shed another tidbit of light on the slugger’s timetable. It’s not necessarily worse news, but Hogg’s update probably does not illuminate much. Fans already knew Chourio was going to be out a while after Friday’s report, so this latest info isn’t surprising. It isn’t all that encouraging, either. It certainly suggests no expedited return schedule. Not to make assumptions, but the emphasis on the location of the damage versus evaluating its severity seems to indicate the Brewers are just hoping Chourio avoided a worse-case scenario. In that case, caution would indeed be first in the order of operations. Only after ascertaining clarity would it make sense to seriously estimate a recovery timetable. That he won’t be ready to immediately resume baseball workouts further points to a slow, methodical recovery process. For however long he remains out, the lineup will miss him badly. Chourio’s 17 home runs rank second on the team behind Christian Yelich, as do his 67 RBI. His .786 OPS leads the offense among qualified hitters. In 90 at-bats in July, he hit .367/.408/.600. The Brewers are resilient everywhere, but without one of their few genuine power threats and hottest bats, plus an everyday outfielder, they are courting a potential offensive slump. The most fans can hope for from Chourio is that he returns fully healthy by the first week of September. Until then, Blake Perkins and trade pickup Brandon Lockridge should see plenty of playing time while Yelich takes more reps in the outfield after getting most of his at-bats this season as the designated hitter.
Adam Peters is still trying to put together an acceptable contract offer that works for wide receiver Terry McLaurin. But the Washington Commanders general manager has some crucial roster decisions upcoming with final cuts on the not-too-distant horizon. Training camp is in full swing. Preseason games and joint practices are upcoming, which represent a good measuring stick for the Commanders to determine the fate of some who have their respective futures hanging in the balance. There will be no sentiment whatsoever attached to the team's decision-making process. And for one multi-purpose weapon, his status is becoming increasingly precarious. Kazmeir Allen could be the odd man out in Commanders' offensive dynamic The competition for places is fierce. This bears more significance in the running back room, although Peters didn't do much to fortify the unit during a busy second recruitment period at the helm. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler will lead the charge. They have experience and proven production, but they will both need to improve to get new deals from the franchise next spring. And then, there's the presence of seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to factor into the equation. Croskey-Merritt has blazed a trail from the moment he joined the organization. He's flashed exceptional promise, which could lead to rotational involvement right out of the gate if he passes some difficult upcoming tests with flying colors. That doesn't bode well for anyone else looking to make the roster. Kazmeir Allen is among them, but it's looking unlikely that the dual-threat out of UCLA is going to find his name on the final 53-man squad. Allen has versatility. He can play at running back or wide receiver with minimal fuss. The elusive former undrafted free agent is also a dynamic kick returner. Unfortunately, the Commanders have a few others capable of picking up the slack in that regard. Ekeler, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey, Jeremy McNichols, and even Deebo Samuel Sr. have all been getting looks in the return game at training camp. Allen won't be giving up without a fight, but it's clear that he's further down the pecking order than ever before. There's a chance Allen can stick around on the practice squad, as he's done for the last couple of years. That represents the best-case scenario. A bold yet attainable objective for the third-year pro, even though he'd probably like something more substantial. How Allen performs in the preseason will ultimately determine his fate. But from the outside looking in, he faces a significant fight to change the narrative. More Commanders news and analysis
The Buffalo Bills will host the New York Giants on Saturday, August 9, in the preseason opener for both teams. Buffalo is coming off a fifth consecutive AFC East title and has the majority of its starters returning. That means there aren't a lot of prime jobs open, but there's still going to be plenty of intrigue as players fight for positions on the 53-man roster. That being said, here are three players who are trying to prove they belong and need to show they can handle the pressure in Preseason Week 1. Laviska Shenault, WR/KR Buffalo might not have anyone who has proven to be a WR1, but they have a deep receiving corps nonetheless. With Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, and Elijah Moore on the roster, it feels as though the first five spots are set. The Bills could decide to keep six receivers, with Laviska Shenault as one of the candidates to earn that spot. For Shenault, the key to making the roster will be his work on special teams. While it would help his case to prove he can contribute on offense, his skill as a return man is what sets him apart. He needs to prove that he's their best option in this role, which he can begin doing this weekend. Dorian Strong, CB Like the wide receiver position, the cornerback room is deep in Buffalo. Christian Benford is the leader of the group, and Tre'Davious White is expected to start across from him following the LCL sprain suffered by rookie Maxwell Hairston. There's also Taron Johnson, who has the nickel role locked up. Their bench consists of players such as Dane Jackson, Cam Lewis, and Ja'Marcus Ingram. That means it will be tough for Dorian Strong to crack the roster, even though he's been a standout in camp. Strong needs to continue his strong performance in the preseason, which would prove to the coaching staff that he's just as capable in live action. Mike White, QB Mitchell Trubisky is currently the No. 2 quarterback behind Josh Allen, but Mike White has been making a case for himself. The former New York Jets signal-caller has had an excellent camp and has a lower salary than Trubisky. His recent play has heated up the QB2 competition, and he can really make a push for the job with a strong showing in the preseason opener. More Buffalo Bills News: Khalil Shakir becoming Bills' WR1 by perfecting 'Joe Brady routes' Bills' unsung veteran 'opens it up for so many people' in Joe Brady's offense 'Hard Knocks' viewing schedule for 2025 episodes starring Josh Allen-led Bills Bills avoid disaster with promising rookie CB's practice injury diagnosis Bills' undrafted WR improbably produces top practice play on pass from Josh Allen
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