Simone Inzaghi rejected a record salary offer at Man Utd to stay at Al Hilal.

Simone Inzaghi has officially rejected an offer to manage Manchester United, despite the prospect of becoming the highest-paid manager in Premier League history, in order to remain with Al Hilal.

Simone Inzaghi's rejection of a record salary offer.

According to Tuttosport, Manchester United submitted an extremely attractive financial offer to persuade Simone Inzaghi to take the hot seat at Old Trafford. If he accepted, the Italian strategist would surpass all his colleagues in the Premier League to become the highest-paid manager in the league. However, Inzaghi prioritized loyalty to his project in Saudi Arabia over a return to Europe.

The coach, born in 1976, currently earns a salary of up to 50 million Euros per year at Al Hilal with a contract that runs until summer 2027. Since leaving Inter Milan to join the West Asian team last summer, Inzaghi has quickly established himself, leading the team to the top of the Saudi Pro League with a one-point lead over their closest rivals. His decision to stay shows his ambition to further solidify his personal record, a talent once praised by Pep Guardiola as "unbelievable".

Interim option: The return of the old guard.

Following Inzaghi's rejection, Manchester United's leadership is quickly shifting its focus to short-term solutions to stabilize the squad for the remainder of the season. According to GiveMeSport, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are the two leading candidates being considered for the interim manager position.

Notably, sources from Norway reveal that Solskjaer could finalize deals and sign a contract as early as this weekend. Bringing back players who understand the club's identity is seen as a safe move to replace Ruben Amorim in the short term, before searching for a permanent manager next summer.

Long-term plan and coaching market for summer 2026

Despite focusing on an interim option, Manchester United are quietly preparing for a complete overhaul. The summer manager transfer market is expected to be explosive, with Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace) and Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth) set to become free agents after their contracts expire.

Additionally, the list of potential candidates also includes Enzo Maresca, Xavi Hernandez, and Zinedine Zidane. However, Zidane's case is more complicated as he is reportedly already in a verbal agreement to manage the French national team. The future of the manager's job at Old Trafford could also be significantly impacted after the 2026 World Cup, where names like Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, or Carlo Ancelotti may seek new challenges.

The next decision by the Man Utd leadership will be crucial, not only helping the team overcome the current crisis but also shaping the club's long-term development strategy.