Manchester United are set to take their time over finding a new full-time manager.
The rumour mill went into overdrive when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked last month, with the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane among those linked.
In the end, Ralph Rangnick was drafted in until the end of the season, giving United time to find a permanent replacement for Solskjaer.
And they intend to take their time, too, according to United director John Murtough, who has explained the current situation to a fans’ forum.
He said, as cited by ESPN: “Out of respect for Ole, we did not approach other managers before he left.
“Our plan then was to appoint an experienced interim manager and Ralf was our clear first choice.
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“He’s someone I have admired for a long time, and we’re delighted he’s here. By bringing in Ralf, we can now take time to run a thorough process for our next permanent manager.
“Recruiting a manager is one of the most important decisions a football club makes so we want to do it in a careful and considered fashion.”
The decision to take time makes sense from a number of angles for United.
In the first instance, they can indeed take time to do their research and get the best fit for the club at this point.
But it also opens up other possibilities. For example, Zidane has made it clear he won’t return until next season at the earliest, while Pochettino’s contract situation means he will be easier to secure from PSG in the summer.
Whatever the motive, United fans will be glad to see United taking a considered approach in this situation, rather than rushing into a rash decision, something they have been guilty of in recent years.