PREM BOSS ‘INSULTED’ BY OFFENSIVE MAN UTD PLAN TO LURE HIM IN ON ‘RIDICULOUS’ TERMS

Gabby Agbonlahor has suggested Gary O’Neil will be ‘insulted’ by ‘ridiculous’ reports that Manchester United want to lure him in from Wolves to be a coach rather than to manage them.

Erik ten Hag’s United career could be coming to an end, according to an increasing number of recent reports. The Red Devils have gone backwards under him in his second season – they’re currently sixth in the Premier League after finishing third last term.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe aiming to return United to the heights of world football, poor performance is not likely to be tolerated.

A number of managers have been linked with the job at Old Trafford, with Gareth Southgate the main name at the moment. Wolves boss O’Neil has also cropped up in reports, though it’s believed United want him to be a coach rather than manager.

According to Agbonlahor, he’ll be insulted by that and will have no interest in making that type of career move.

“I think he will be insulted. If he is going into training today and he sees this story and he will say ‘so, I am going to leave a job where I have been outstanding this season and go and be a coach?!” he said on talkSPORT.

“Managers want to be managers. They don’t want to be coaches. They only want to be a coach if they are struggling or are out-of-work.

“Some of these stories coming out are a bit ridiculous now.”

HITC have suggested that the Wolves boss has ‘no interest’ in dropping down from a management role.

That follows reports that state he is ‘set to snub’ United to remain the main man at Molineux, as dropping back into a coaching role is seen as a ‘demotion’.

While a move to United in a coaching capacity is not likely, there is potential that O’Neil could swap Wolves to be another Premier League side’s manager.

Indeed, HITC states both West Ham and Brighton are looking at the Englishman. Both of those clubs are above his current outfit in the Premier League, but they’re both less than three points clear.

As such, the prospect of manager either of those sides might not be a massive draw for O’Neil.

2024-03-28T15:39:21Z dg43tfdfdgfd