Two days after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Manchester United board have started a search for a new manager. PSG’s Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be interested in returning to England, while the Red Devils are also admirers of Brendan Rodgers.
The Manchester United hierarchy dropped curtains on Solskjaer’s near-three-year stint as the first team head coach following a string of poor results. A 4-1 embarrassment at the hands of newly-promoted Watford proved to be the tipping point for the United board, who had refused to relieve the Norwegian of his duties after reverses against rivals Liverpool (5-0) and Manchester City (2-0).
Mauricio Pochettino, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur and currently of Paris Saint-Germain, is the club’s top choice to take over from the departed Solskjaer, reveals Sky Sports. The Argentinian tactician is contracted to the Ligue 1 runners-up until 2023, but, as per the report, he would be keen on returning to the Premier League should the opportunity to manage the Red Devils come calling.
The Argentine coached Spurs from 2014 to 2019, during which time the North London outfit consistently finished in the top four and reached t he 2018/19 UEFA Champions League final. Le Parisien reports that in the event of Pochettino leaving for Manchester, PSG would approach Zinedine Zidane to take over as the manager.
Another name on Manchester United’s managerial shortlist – reportedly – is that of Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers. As per The Sun, the Red Devils are prepared to pay 8 million pounds to the Foxes in compensation in exchange for their head coach. The Northern Irishman is among the top choices for the hot seat, with the report claiming that initial talks between the two parties have already taken place.
For the time being, Solskjaer’s former assistant Michael Carrick will take over the first team head coach responsibilities. The ex-Manchester United player will face Villarreal in the Champions League (November 23) in his first game in charge and will remain in the dugout for the subsequent league clash against Chelsea (November 28) should the club fail to confirm an interim appointment in the meantime.
