Despite their desire to have the appointment confirmed before the end of the season, Manchester United sources were quick to reiterate that they remain open-minded in their search for an interim manager and will not rush into making a decision despite their desire to have the appointment confirmed before the end of the season

The fact that United are not persuaded by winning over social media supporters and utilizing popularity as a vital element in their decision is particularly critical for a club whose players rely on 'fan sentiment graphs' to dictate how they present themselves online.

As things stand, Erik ten Hag appears to be the overwhelming favorite on social media, and if every Twitter user were to cast a vote, he would almost certainly be chosen manager the following week. The sheer fact that recommending someone else for the job or raising concerns about the Dutchman's credentials results in personal abuse tells you all you need to know about the dangers of internet opinions, which do not necessarily reflect those of match-going supporters.

Let the tinfoil hat go on and brace yourself for impact with that in mind. Ten Hag is a talented footballer who has had some tremendous success in the Champions League, but he would carry a significant risk if he were to be appointed manager.

Of course, there is no certain formula for success when choosing a manager - just look at the performance of Manchester United from 2013 to the present - but the fact that Ten Hag is still such a mystery is certainly a red flag, if not a full turn-off, for potential employers.

Because of the fact that the 52-year-old has never coached a senior team outside of the Netherlands, or because Ajax are expected to win domestic trophies every year, but more so because of his global reputation ahead of a key transfer window.

In order to compete for Champions League football next season, United will have to complete a significant squad rebuild, which will be accelerated by the fact that Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, and Edinson Cavani will all leave the club for free. The club will have to attract quality replacements without necessarily being able to offer them Champions League football.

The situation was similar in 2016, when United had to pay a world-record £89 million fee to get Pogba to Old Trafford in the first place, paying a premium in order to compensate for the fact that they would not be competing in the Champions League that season.

Such a transaction would not have been feasible without the influence of Jose Mourinho, and despite his failure to live up to expectations during his time at United, he did at least bring with him the star power that the club so needed at a time when it needed it.

Like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Manchester United's first season without Champions League football, Ten Hag's scenario is arguably most similar to that of the first summer of 2019.

In the absence of a world-class manager at the helm, they were no longer interested in luring players away from big European clubs, instead investing £145 million on three players: Harry Maguire from Leicester, Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace and Swansea forward Daniel James.

Now, three years after his arrival, James has already been sold, Wan-Bissaka has been demoted to right-back, and there are calls for Maguire to be relieved of his captain's armband.

Finding the proper players this summer will be a monumental assignment for whoever takes over as manager of Manchester United, especially without the lure of Champions League football to entice them to the club.

Adding to this is the fact that United has been in turmoil for the better part of a decade and that they haven't won a trophy since 2017, and it is clear that they are having difficulty selling themselves despite their self-promotion as the world's biggest club.

All of these challenges will need to be overcome in order for the successful applicant to sign top-tier talent who is coming for the right reasons rather than for the sake of a quick monetary reward.

Assigning that responsibility to Ten Hag is unquestionably a risk, but it may be a risk that they must take.