Man Utd give up on ‘ideal world’ manager
Manchester United have already given up hope of landing their first choice to replace Ralf Rangnick at the end of the season.
The United hierarchy are currently undertaking a “thorough process” to select their new manager, with multiple top level bosses linked with the role.
READ MORE: Top ten most misleading results of the Premier League season
Carlo Ancelotti and Ralph Hasenhuttl are rumoured to have been on their shortlist, while the uncertainty at Chelsea has led to speculation over Thomas Tuchel.
But Sky Sports report that as “media talk not reality” and United expect Chelsea’s new owners to make keeping Tuchel their priority at Stamford Bridge.
The board are said to have whittled down the names to four – Mauricio Pochettino, Erik ten Hag, Julen Lopetegui and Luis Enrique.
Multiple sources admit they would “be surprised if Pochettino or Ten Hag were not at the helm”.
Pochettino is seen as ‘the concrete choice’ to rival the top Premier League sides given how well he performed against them on a tight budget at Tottenham.
And the club have not been put off by his time at Paris Saint-Germain, ‘where the problem has not been the manager as the successes of Carlo Ancelotti, Unai Emery and Tuchel after departing, have proven’.
One source told Sky Sports that “in an ideal world, Julian Nagelsmann would walk into the club this summer.”
But United have apparently accepted that he despite his desire to manage in the Premier League, he would not swap Bayern Munich until he could move to a ‘more stable option, primed to lift silverware’.
He is said to be likely to wait until Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp leave Man City or Liverpool.
United’s new permanent manager will be derived from the four-man shortlist unless “there is a massive change in circumstance and a top manager that fits the long-term direction suddenly becomes available.”
They want a new manager in place ahead of the new season, but suggestions that a pre-agreement could be struck by the end of this month are “overly optimistic.”
