Fred Says Man United Manager Situation Is "Strange" And "A Little Bit Bad"

Midfielder Fred has said it is "strange" and "a little bit bad" that Manchester United decided to play more than half a season under an interim manager.

United sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November and instead of naming his permanent replacement mid-season, they appointed Ralf Rangnick on a short-term basis until the summer.

Rangnick will have an eye on United's long-term plan too, as he is set to move into a consultancy role once a new manager arrives.

United's plan to give Rangnick the reigns until the end of the season was motivated by their determination to get Mr Right in the summer, rather than settle for Mr Right Now in November.

But Fred, who has scored two goals and provided four assists since Solskjaer departed, does not seem to be overly happy with the level of uncertainty currently surrounding Old Trafford.

Fred pictured during Manchester United's FA Cup game against Middlesbrough in February 2022

IMAGO/Martin Rickett

He told Brazilian broadcaster TNT Sports, as translated by BBC Sport: "It is a bit strange.

"I know in football it's important to get good results as soon as possible, but it's also important to have a long-term plan.

"I think it's a little bit bad for us not to have one, at the moment it's all about the short-term goals."

Mauricio Pochettino and Erik Ten Hag are United's top two choices in their search for a new manager, according to Metro Sport.

But Luis Enrique and Julen Lopetegui are also said to be on United's shortlist.