Ralf Rangnick will no longer stay on in a consultant’s role at Manchester United, instead, focusing on his role as the Austria national team’s manager. 

The German, known by the moniker “professor”, had joined the Premier League side as an interim manager, but has now handed over reins to former Ajax coach Erik ten Hag. 

In the statement, United said, “We would like to thank Ralf Rangnick for his efforts as interim manager over the past six months”. 

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The Old Trafford club added, “By mutual agreement, Ralf will now focus solely on his new role as manager of the Austria national team and will not therefore be taking up a consultancy role at Old Trafford. We would like to wish Ralf the best of luck in this next chapter of his career.” 

The 63-year-old took charge in December and led United through the rest of the club’s current disastrous season. Speaking later of his performance, Rangnick said “We never came near to that aggressive, pro-active football I’d normally want to do. It has to do with physicality if you want to play like that. I should have done better and developed this team in a more sustainable way.” 

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He also said the side lacked a “pressing monster”. Considering that Rangnick has backed ten Hag’s choice to overhaul the team ahead of the next season, one expects the new United squad to shape up to the Dutchman’s pressing expectations. 

The German added, “If you saw the way that Erik’s Ajax team play or his Under 23s team at Bayern Munich, it’s pretty obvious how he wants to play and clear what kind of players he needs”, as per Football365. 

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Rangnick concluded, “There will be changes. I think it’s obvious to everybody, the owners and every supporter, we need to increase and raise the level of quality within the squad.”

With Rangnick at the helm, United crashed out of the Champions League and managed the sixth spot in the PL table, securing a Europa spot in the coming season. The German’s successor has already set sights on getting the club back into the Champions League by the end of the coming season.