Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi admits he is flattered by the reports linking him with Premier League giants Manchester United as Erik ten Hag fights for his future in an Ineos-led Old Trafford era.
When discussing the finest head coaches in European football, the conversation is often dominated by the usual suspects of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti and co. But surely it’s about time we considered Simone Inzaghi worthy of a place on the podium.
The 47-year-old Italian – linked with the Manchester United job by TuttoSport a few days ago – has Inter Milan soaring 12 points clear at the top of the Serie A table. With 67, his Lautaro Martinez-inspired Nerazzuri side have scored 17 more than the division’s next-most prolific outfit too.
Inzaghi has long been viewed as something of a ‘cup specialist’ back home – he has won eight domestic cups with Inter and Lazio and finished as a runner-up to Man City in last season’s Champions League – but a first league triumph of his increasingly impressive managerial career is now potentially only a few games away.
Manchester United linked with Inter Milan manager
So while Inzaghi might not be the first name that comes to the mind of casual observers when discussing the prospect of a post-Ten Hag future at Man United – he lacks the proven Premier League pedigree of Roberto de Zerbi or the fame of Julian Nagelsmann – the former Italy international’s remarkable track record over recent seasons should place him at the forefront of any considerations amongst the Ineos camp.
“It’s enormously pleasing,” Inzaghi told Tuttomercatoweb after the 4-0 midweek hammering of Atalanta, responding to those Man United links for the first time.
“(But) I don’t think we should just talk about Inzaghi but about Inter. We are doing an excellent job and we must continue to do so.
“Interest can be read (about) and felt. It has always been there, when I coached Lazio, in the first two years of Inter…
“We hope they will still be there in the future, but I’m not interested in hearing them. I’m interested in working well at Inter, with my fans and with my staff.
“I’m happy here. (Inter) know it and, right now, I don’t think it’s the time to talk about these things. We remain focused on what’s happening on the pitch.”
Erik ten Hag under pressure
In all competitions, Inzaghi’s Inter Milan have won 28 out of 36 games this season. That includes their current run of 11 in a row.
Ten Hag, meanwhile, has been victorious in seven out of eight matches across 2024 himself. United bounced back from that Fulham debacle with a dramatic 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Wednesday, Casemiro nodding in a late header to set up a quarter-final clash with Liverpool.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/41frAGZ