Revisited: Next permanent Man Utd manager odds

We've ventured into the New Year and we are now past the half-way stage of the Premier League season, so we've taken an updated look at what the betting market is saying when it comes to who could be the permanent Man Utd Manager next season...

Mauricio Pochettino: 6/4

Mauricio Pochettino is the new frontrunner at the top of the betting at 6/4 with Paddy Power.

Hotly linked with a move following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit - and for years prior - Pochettino remains many people’s pick for the Red Devils job this summer.

It’s been a year since Pochettino, 50 in March, took over French giants PSG where he’s won the Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions, but surprisingly missed out on the league title last term. 

His troops are running away with it this season - 13 points clear after 19 matches - which would be the first league triumph of his career, although it’s no secret that it’s Champions League glory which the club craves.

Pochettino has the style of play, experience of mounting Premier League title challenges, and managing huge stars with even bigger egos. Should he add further silverware to his CV with PSG then surely he’ll be in pole position come the summer - if he wants the job that is.

A lot can happen between now and then though.

Ralf Rangnick: 5/2

Results wise, Ralf Rangnick has reason to be reasonably content with his start. The German has three wins and two draws from six games, suffering the one defeat which came in his last outing.

Yet those five league games have been against teams who were outside of the top-8, while the Rangnick revolution has yet to sparkle from a performance perspective. Stamping a new identity will of course take time, but United have a long way to go based on the evidence of their lacklustre showing against Wolves earlier this week.

“We didn’t play well at all individually or collectively,” he said after the dismal display, which saw him greeted by boos after he substituted Mason Greenwood.

“Today we showed similar problems the team had three or four weeks ago before I arrived. It is not an easy job to develop a DNA with and without the ball.”

Rangnick’s interim contract ends in the summer, then he’ll take on a c​​onsultancy role for a further two years. However, he’s refused to rule out staying on as manager and can be backed at 5/2 for the permanent job, although he's drifted a bit this week having previously been top of the pile at 21/10.

For this to happen performances have to significantly improve while Rangnick will need to finish in the top-four and most likely lift a trophy.

Brendan Rodgers: 11/2

Appointing a former Liverpool manager will never be a popular decision for many Man Utd fans, although legendary United boss Matt Busby did play for both Liverpool and Man City.

Brendan Rodgers (11/2) outwitted Thomas Tuchel to win Leicester's first ever FA Cup and was agonisingly close to top-four finishes in each of the last two seasons.

10th-placed Leicester haven’t been at their best this season - which could hinder his chances should he secretly harbour hopes of a move - having suffered seven league defeats in 18 matches while they were booted out of the Europa League in the group stages.

However, Rodgers has frequently carved out results against the top teams and elite managers, and at their peak his fully-fit Leicester side are brilliant to watch.

Rodgers has been linked to United and Spurs this season but has passionately denied he is going anywhere. Probably not top of the list but should definitely be in the conversation.

Erik ten Hag: 13/2

Available at 13/2, Erik ten Hag is a name that excites many fans.

The Dutchman continues to shine at Ajax where he's won two league and cup doubles and came within seconds of reaching a Champions League final.

Ajax are gunning for more domestic silverware this season while they’ve been one of the stand-out sides in the Champions League; hammering Borussia Dortmund home-and-away en route to topping their group with maximum points.

His philosophy, track record and work with young players make him an attract proposition, although there are of course question marks over whether he could replicate his success in charge of high-profile stars at one of the biggest clubs on the planet where expectations, pressure, and scrutiny will be on another level completely.

Who else is in the mix?

Wolves boss Bruno Lage is the fifth favourite in the betting at 10/1, but while he’s just overseen a superb 1-0 win at Old Trafford, it’s likely to take something pretty miraculous for the Portuguese coach to be a serious contender for the Old Trafford job.

Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is available at 16/1, yet seems far more likely to crop up at either PSG or the France national team in the future.

Roberto Mancini has been touted for the job. He certainly has the CV and star quality, however the fact that he won Man City the title means that surely an appointment is out of the question. He’s also employed at European champs Italy, whom he’s currently bidding to lead through to the World Cup.

The job he’s doing at Derby is pretty damn impressive, but at 22/1 Wayne Rooney is far too short for a job at Man Utd. Cristiano Ronaldo is a giggle at 33/1, alongside Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl who worked with Rangnick at RB Leipzig.

The likes of Diego Simeone and Julian Nagelsmann are also out at 33/1, with Ernesto Valverde, Luis Enrique and Gareth Southgate 40/1 shots.

Full odds below...