Man Utd confirm Ralf Rangnick as interim manager with new boss to join in summer

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Manchester United have confirmed Ralf Rangnick as their new interim manager, with a new permanent boss to join the club at the end of season.

The German will now takeover from caretaker manager Michael Carrick, with his first match in charge set to come against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Thursday as long as his work visa is sorted in time.

Alternatively, United then host Crystal Palace on Sunday in the Premier League.

Carrick had been installed as caretaker boss following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the recent 4-1 loss to Watford.

He oversaw a 2-0 Champions League win away to Villarreal and yesterday's 1-1 Premier League draw at Chelsea, which Rangnick watched from home in Germany on TV.

Rangnick has left his role as managing director of sport and communications at Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow to become United's new interim boss until the end of the season.

Rangnick said: “I am excited to be joining Manchester United and focused on making this a successful season for the club.

“The squad is full of talent and has a great balance of youth and experience. All my efforts for the next six months will be on helping these players fulfil their potential, both individually and, most importantly, as a team.

“Beyond that, I look forward to supporting the club’s longer-term goals on a consultancy basis.”

He had only joined the Russian club in the summer and was keen to depart the reigning Russian Cup winners on good terms.

Where will Manchester United finish under Ralf Rangnick this season? Let us know in the comments section below.

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John Murtough, Manchester United football director, added: “Ralf is one of the most respected coaches and innovators in European football. He was our number one candidate for interim manager, reflecting the invaluable leadership and technical skills he will bring from almost four decades of experience in management and coaching.

“Everyone at the club is looking forward to working with him during the season ahead, and then for a further two years in his advisory role.”

Rangnick is also set to become United's first sporting director at the end of the season and will help the club appoint a new permanent manager.

Daily Star Sport understands PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino remains a top target after the French giants refused to let him go mid-season, while Ajax's Erik ten Hag is admired by Rangnick, and Leicester's Brendan Rodgers is still being tracked too.

This is a role he previously held intermittently with the Red Bull-owned football clubs in Germany, Austria, Brazil and the USA between 2012 and 2020.

Nicknamed 'The Professor', Rangnick has previously guided Hannover, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig into the Bundesliga and oversaw most of Ulm's promotion campaign in 1998/99.

During his two spells in charge of Schalke, Rangnick won both the German Cup and the now-defunct German League Cup.

The United job signifies Rangnick's first managerial role outside of Germany, with his previous clubs also including Schalke, Stuttgart and Hannover.

He has come close to managing in England before, though, having turned down an interim role at Chelsea prior to Thomas Tuchel's arrival at Stamford Bridge.

Rangnick was also interviewed for the vacant England job following Roy Hodgson's departure back in 2016, before the FA instead appointed Sam Allardyce.

He now takes over a United side that have booked their place in the round of 16 of the Champions League as group winners, but face an uphill battle to qualify for next season's competition.

The Red Devils are currently eighth in the Premier League and trail fourth-place West Ham United by five points.

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