“I had a private meeting with important members of the board and we had decided that we would make our final decision after the match against Aston Villa. Given the results of the match, Erik Ten Hag’s fate is decided, He’s leaving before the international break ends” – Manchester United have reportedly reached a “private agreement” regarding Erik ten Hag’s potential sacking following the draw against Aston Villa.

Manchester United have reportedly acknowledged privately that they are eager to avoid dismissing Erik ten Hag, despite the poor start to the season.

The 0-0 draw against Aston Villa has cast uncertainty over the Dutchman’s future as the October international break begins, but he may still retain the club’s support for the time being.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe was present at Villa Park for his second match of the season, sitting in the directors’ box alongside Sir Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox, and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Manchester United’s leadership is set to hold meetings in Manchester on Monday and in London the following day. Co-chairman Joel Glazer is expected to fly in from the United States to take part in these discussions.

Ten Hag’s future is expected to be a key topic of discussion, with Manchester United currently sitting 14th in the Premier League after winning just two of their first seven matches and scoring only five goals.

Of their 11 games in all competitions, only three have resulted in victories, including a Carabao Cup win against Barnsley and league wins over Fulham and Southampton.

United’s struggles in European competition continued with just one win in their last 10 outings, leaving them with two points from six in the Europa League after Thursday’s collapse against Porto.

Despite facing intense external pressure, Ten Hag insists that the situation is perceived differently inside Old Trafford.

According to ESPN, Manchester United are reportedly reluctant to part ways with Erik ten Hag, especially after backing him with £200 million during the summer transfer window.

INEOS also activated the one-year extension in his contract, extending it to 2026 as part of their agreement for him to remain in charge.

If Ratcliffe were to dismiss Ten Hag, the compensation package is expected to be around £15 million. Furthermore, the coaching options that United considered in the summer, where they found no better fit than the 54-year-old, have not changed significantly since then.

Reportedly, Manchester United interviewed Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Frank, and Roberto De Zerbi, among others, as potential managerial candidates.

Tuchel would likely be the frontrunner to replace Ten Hag on a permanent basis, though the same issues that previously hindered discussions would likely persist.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is seen as a prime candidate to take over on an interim basis if Ten Hag were to be replaced, but it’s unclear if that would bring about the change United need.

However, it would be surprising if anyone other than Ten Hag is in charge when Brentford visit Old Trafford on October 19.