Manchester United’s search for a new manager has been put on hold, according to reports, because the club’s hierarchy is impressed with Ralf Rangnick’s performance.

The 67-year-old German has five wins and one loss in eight league games and has also earned the club a fourth-round FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough, which will be played in the first week of February.

Old Trafford bosses have praised him for calming the ship after inheriting a turbulent club managed by Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, according to Sun Sport.

The board is now eager to see what he can accomplish between now and the end of the season, according to reports.

According to the report, “A top-four spot and qualification for next season’s Champions League will go a long way to securing him the United job on a permanent basis for the next two years.”

“Defensively United has improved with four clean sheets in his ten games and only one conceded in five of their other six.”

“It was thought initially that Rangnick was just going to be used as a stop-gap until the end of the season and then moved upstairs into a consultancy role.”

“But the belief is the answer could be on their own doorstep in the highly-rated German who both Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel cite as an inspiration.

“ Ralf Rangnick himself made it clear on taking the United job that he would be upon having it on a permanent basis if this interim period went well.”

The United’s interim manager said, “Maybe if they ask my opinion and everything goes well and we develop the team I might even make the same recommendation to the board that I did at Leipzig twice when I recommended it might be a good idea to keep working with me for one year.”