Pochettino? Tuchel? Assessing the candidates to become next Man Utd manager
After Chelsea’s decision to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino this week, the Premier League’s manager market has come to life, with a whole host of names linked with the vacant role at Stamford Bridge.
But the speculation doesn’t end in London, reports suggest that Manchester United have since drawn up a four-man shortlist to replace Erik ten Hag, should they decide to remove the manager after Saturday’s FA Cup final. Here, we run through each of the candidates, assessing their suitability for the position at Old Trafford.
Mauricio Pochettino - Departed Chelsea
Fresh from leaving Premier League rivals Chelsea, former Tottenham and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino could be in line for an immediate return to England’s top-flight. Pochettino had been heavily linked with United prior to Erik ten Hag’s appointment, and could finally take up the role this summer.
The 52-year-old may feel hard done by to have been removed at Stamford Bridge, even if the departure was by ‘mutual consent’, given the progress his Chelsea side had made in the final few months of the campaign. The Blues ended the season with five successive victories, securing sixth-place and a spot in next season’s Europa League.
Given the circumstances, transition and unprecedented injury crisis Pochettino had to navigate, the job he did at Chelsea should see his stock remain relatively high, and perhaps give him a strong chance of landing the role at United.
Thomas Tuchel - Departing Bayern Munich
Former Chelsea, PSG and Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel agreed to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season a number of months ago, and will now be planning his next managerial move, with his eyes firmly on a return to the Premier League, according to reports.
Tuchel, who has been linked with the vacant role at Chelsea, reportedly does not want to return to west London, and would be keen on the United job should it become available.
The German’s departure from Bayern follows a disappointing campaign for the Bavarian club, in which they failed to lift a trophy for the first time in 12 years, and finished third in the Bundesliga.
Nevertheless, Tuchel led Bayern to within minutes of this season’s Champions League final - albeit his hasty substitutions may have led to their elimination at the Bernabeu - and had to contend with injuries to key players such as Manuel Neuer and Mathijs de Ligt.
A coach at United during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time in charge, Kieran McKenna has earned a number of admirers for the way his Ipswich side has returned to the Premier League. The Tractor Boys were one of the more entertaining sides to watch in England this term as they scored more goals (92) than any other team in the Championship.
McKenna initially implemented a three-man backline when first appointed as Ipswich boss back in December 2021 but a dip in form saw him revert to a 4-2-3-1, and he has stuck with the system that secured automatic promotion. The emphasis is on the full-backs to stretch opponents with Leif Davis in particular shining in Ipswich’s return to the Premier League. The 24-year-old did, after all, finish the season with more assists (18) than any Championship player.
The 38-year-old, though, is a manager in demand, with Brighton and Chelsea reportedly battling it out to land McKenna, so United would need to act quickly if they are to snare one of the brightest managers in the country. It has been suggested that if he is to depart Ipswich, his preference is a return to Manchester.
If it’s Premier League experience that United look to prioritise, then Thomas Frank will likely be high on the wishlist. The Dane has worked wonders with Brentford on a fairly modest budget and despite flirting with relegation earlier in the year, Frank is still a wanted man in England.
Frank switched between a 4-2-3-1 and a three-man backline over the course of the campaign with injuries not helping his Brentford side this season. Indeed, he had to make do without key men Bryan Mbeumo and Ethan Pinnock for chunks of 2023/24, and his Bees team suffered as a result. His Brentford side isn’t nearly as dominant as others on this list with Frank now a more pragmatic boss than the likes of Pochettino and McKenna. However, he worked well with the tools at his disposal and did so without kicking up much of a fuss. This may well suit the newly-installed United hierarchy.
