Thomas Frank delivers a significant clue about replacing Erik ten Hag at Manchester United

Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford remains uncertain.

Thomas Frank has warned Manchester United that he may require the ‘challenge’ of managing a big-name team. Brentford’s manager has long been connected with Old Trafford, where his team lost 2-1 on Saturday.

Regardless of the outcome, Erik ten Hag faces mounting pressure following United’s worst Premier League start in history.

And now Frank, who recently celebrated seven years in leadership of the Bees, has made some telling remarks.

During an appearance on the Sports Agent podcast, the 51-year-old was asked if he was tempted to go to manage a team like United. “Maybe it is a challenge I need to try,” he added.

Frank, who worked as an assistant coach at Brentford for two years before taking over, has garnered significant praise for his efforts in propelling the club to the Premier League. The team was promoted through the play-offs in 2020/21, and Frank has led them to 13th, 9th, and 16th place finishes in their three seasons in the top division.

However, he admitted that he was concerned about the added pressure and public scrutiny that managing a more known club would bring. “For sure if I ever got the offer to go to a big club and I decided to go there, it would probably not make my life better,” said the comedian.

“I think we all know that. It is not something I am thinking about. I have sacrificed a lot throughout my life to reach where I am now. In terms of sacrificing, I missed my children’s birthdays for five years in a row because I was with the national team.

“I have been working 60, 70 hours a week for the last 30 years. I have sacrificed a lot of things. You don’t know how it would be if you walked into another job.”