Official: Rangnick joins Man United - “One of the most respected coaches in European football”

What had been in the offing last week is now official: Ralf Rangnick is the new head coach of Manchester United – subject to work visa requirements – and thus the third German manager at a top Premier League club alongside Thomas Tuchel and Jürgen Klopp. The 63-year-old will take over until the end of the season and then continue to work in a consultancy role for a further two years, as the Red Devils confirmed on Monday.

“Ralf is one of the most respected coaches and innovators in European football. He was our number one candidate for interim manager, reflecting the invaluable leadership and technical skills he will bring from almost four decades of experience in management and coaching. Everyone at the club is looking forward to working with him during the season ahead, and then for a further two years in his advisory role,” football director John Murtough said.

For Rangnick, the move to Manchester is his first job as a head coach abroad. In Germany, he had managed SSV Reutlingen, SSV Ulm, VfB Stuttgart, Hannover 96, Schalke 04, TSG Hoffenheim and most recently RB Leipzig since 1995, before first working as global sporting director for Red Bull and then moving to Lokomotiv Moscow. In recent years, he has been linked with various positions at AC Milan, Chelsea and Eintracht Frankfurt, among others.

“I am excited to be joining Manchester United and focused on making this a successful season for the club. The squad is full of talent and has a great balance of youth and experience. All my efforts for the next six months will be on helping these players fulfil their potential, both individually and, most importantly, as a team. Beyond that, I look forward to supporting the club’s longer-term goals on a consultancy basis,” Rangnick was quoted as saying in the press release.