Erik ten Hag: Man Utd boss unconcerned by Gareth Southgate speculation

Manchester United head coach Erik Ten Hag has dismissed reports linking England manager Gareth Southgate with his job at Old Trafford, claiming he "does not care" about speculation regarding his future at the club.

United are understood not to have made a definitive decision over Ten Hag's future and are planning for next season with him, including potential recruitments and summer tour plans.

But United's ambitious new co-owners Ineos are believed to admire Southgate, who has a good relationship with Sir Dave Brailsford as well as potential incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth.

Ten Hag, however, says he is used to speculation about his job, claiming it is part and parcel of managing a big club.

"You know when you are working at Manchester United, there will always be noise and rumours around the club, team, manager, players, there will always be issues," he said in his press conference ahead of United's Premier League trip to struggling Brentford, live on Sky Sports on Saturday Night Football.

"You [the media] like it to talk about [speculation], but of course we have different interests, but we are not focusing on that. We are focusing on the process to make the team play better, to improve the way of playing.

"So yes, I do not care about it.

"I was trainer at Ajax and it [the pressure] was similar and so when you are working at the top in football, you get used to it - so we do not care, players do not care, I do not care.

"We are working and co-operating, we know we have to perform and we have to get the right results."

Ten Hag, meanwhile, is confident Kobbie Mainoo can deal with the hype following his impressive full England debut.

Just four months on from making his first Premier League start, the 18-year-old put in a