Change is coming at Old Trafford, but the hiring of Erik ten Hag puts several jobs on the risk.

When he replaces interim Ralf Rangnick this summer, the Dutchman will become the club's fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson.

United fans are in love with Ten Hag, but he's built his name almost exclusively in the shadows of mainstream sports.

Due to his inexperience, the 52-year-old is highly anticipated. He's constructed some impressive Ajax teams, but they've underperformed in Europe for the past three seasons, while playing some spectacular football before departing earlier than expected in each of those seasons.

United have been hampered to some extent this summer by the absence of a truly outstanding candidate. When it comes down to it, the competition is basically between Mauricio Pochettino and Jan Ten Hag.

When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was fired in November, John Murtough and Richard Arnold began a thorough search for a new manager, and they were the two most likely choices.

That is to say, whoever landed the job this summer was always going to be a gamble. However, it appears that Ten Hag is the greater risk, even though he may also be the greater reward. Hopefully, the style of game he plays will allow United to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool, but there are no promises.

Although he has never previously worked at a level comparable to that of United, he is actually older than both Pochettino and Guardiola, despite the fact that he is considered the "new kid on the block" in the world of coaching. The only previous club experience ten Hag has was with Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich II, and Utrecht, and he wasn't Ajax's first choice when the club signed him in 2013.

It's understandable that the Dutch titans are sad to have lost him now, but that doesn't change the reality that Arnold and Murtough are putting their faith in someone who is a bit of a gamble.

Although he has never previously worked at a level comparable to that of United, he is actually older than both Pochettino and Guardiola, despite the fact that he is considered the "new kid on the block" in the world of coaching. The only previous club experience ten Hag has was with Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich II, and Utrecht, and he wasn't Ajax's first choice when the club signed him in 2013.

It's understandable that the Dutch titans are sad to have lost him now, but that doesn't change the reality that Arnold and Murtough are putting their faith in someone who is a bit of a gamble.

It's possible that Pochettino was the better choice, but he's fallen out of favor for some reason. He has had great success in the Premier League with teams such as Southampton and Tottenham, where he has built really attractive and modern squads.

Despite the fact that his time at Paris St-Germain has been unsatisfactory, he joined a club that simply did not have the group that matched his abilities. It was only a few months after he was fired that the manager he replaced in Paris, Thomas Tuchel, won the Champions League. Unai Emery and Carlo Ancelotti are the other two managers who were fired from their positions in the French capital before him are both in the Champions League semi-finals this season.

As a result, the conclusion of the narrative is that failing at PSG is virtually completely irrelevant to one's professional destiny. Pochettino has been passed over by Manchester United for a second time, but if he is available this summer, he will have plenty of interest. One day, perhaps as early as next season, it seemed inevitable that he will be appointed manager of Real Madrid.

Pochettino appears to have been destined to coach Manchester United twice, but Murtough and Arnold have chosen to go in a different direction. Ten Hag's reputation is on the line with his move to Old Trafford, but that is now linked with the people in charge.

Since Ed Woodward was replaced by Arnold two months ago, the football director has been given more authority, but their first significant choice is basically make or break for them.

When Arnold took over for Woodward, he didn't exactly suggest a fresh start. A former executive vice-university chairman's friend, he was promoted from within the company, so the verdict was already out when he began on February 1.

David Moyes brought Murtough to Old Trafford, and he has progressed through the ranks since. He's been the lone survivor, but his contributions to the club have unquestionably been recognized during his tenure there.

His glare will be more brighter now that he is in the top job, and his endorsement of Rangnick as interim manager has not gone over well.

Murtough has taken the lead in the process of hiring a new permanent manager, and it already appears that this is how he will be evaluated in the future. Ten Hag's success is critical to his own future prospects as director of football at Manchester United.

This summer, it could be that Ten Hag is the best person for the job. But it also feels like Arnold and Murtough have gone into a casino and bet the house on the roulette table. This is a risky bet that will almost certainly pay off.