Erik ten Hag, who had been tipped to take over at Borussia Dortmund, will not replace Nuri Sahi following his sacking on Wednesday, reports in Germany claim.
Sahin, who only took over at Dortmund in the summer, was relieved of his duties following the 2-1 defeat to Bologna in Champions League, although it is the club's poor performance in the Bundesliga that is largely responsible for his sacking.
Dortmund sit a miserable 10th in the Bundesliga table having won just seven of their 18 games and lost their last three in a row – the loss to Bologna only adding to the former Turkish midfielder's misery.
There has been increasing speculation about Shahini's future in recent weeks, amid repeated claims that Ten Hag was a serious candidate to take the reins.
Ten Hag has been a regular guest at Dortmund matches since his departure from united in October, due to his close relationship with club advisor Matthias Sammer.
Despite his frequent presence in the stands, Ten Hag, who attended the game in Bologna, is not expected to be in contention for the Dortmund vacancy. Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg says the cost of a deal for the Dutchman, who remains on United's payroll following his sacking in October, is simply too high.
Ten Hag signed a new contract with United in July, just three months before his departure, which ties him to the Red Devils until 2026.
Instead, Dortmund are believed to be working on a deal to hire Niko Kovac. A former Bayern Munich boss, Kovac is available immediately following his departure from Wolfsburg in March 2024.
As for Ten Hag, Athletics states that he does not plan to return to work immediately and instead wants to analyze his options during the summer.