Manchester United Hit by Major Security Scare as Dressing Room Bugged, Erik ten Hag Recorded

Manchester United’s dressing room was bugged at Aston Villa, with team talks and individual instructions from Erik ten Hag secretly recorded. The shocking security breach has prompted Champions League-bound Villa to launch an investigation into how such a violation of privacy occurred ahead of the crucial Premier League clash.

A prankster claimed he had duped stadium staff on the Friday before the match, sneaking in and planting a recording device in the away dressing room. The device captured conversations between Ten Hag and his players, in what could have been the Dutchman’s last game as United manager, given the pressure he was facing after a poor start to the season.

According to The Sun, the individual behind the prank used a phone from China with a feature allowing a microphone to be activated remotely by calling it from another device. The phone was taped out of sight in the dressing room and went unnoticed by United’s staff when they prepared the area for the players on matchday. The prankster activated the recording when Ten Hag and his team were going through their pre-match preparations.

A source told The Sun, which has heard the recordings but declined to publish the details: “Serious questions will be asked as to how this was allowed to happen. Thankfully, there was nothing sinister in the incident—it was just a prankster, who happens to be a United fan, trying to eavesdrop on what was being said in the dressing room. But it’s definitely worrying how someone managed to breach security at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs just days before a match.”

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Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford remains uncertain, with Manchester United currently sitting 14th in the Premier League after collecting just eight points from their first seven matches. Despite mounting pressure, the former Ajax manager has maintained a calm demeanor regarding his position, even opting to take a holiday following the goalless draw against Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, Manchester United's hierarchy, led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, held a significant meeting on Tuesday, where Ten Hag’s future was a key topic of discussion. The board is reportedly weighing whether to continue backing the Dutchman or make a managerial change amid the team's disappointing start to the season.