Man United lining up surprise move for ex-Chelsea manager to replace Erik Ten Hag -Report

Man United lining up surprise move for ex-Chelsea manager to replace Erik Ten Hag -Report

Manchester United are planning a surprise move for Thomas Tuchel, with intense pressure mounting on Erik ten Hag after a dismal start to the premier league campaign.

After leading the team to an unexpected FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, Ten Hag received the support of the club’s management despite Manchester United’s eighth-place finish in the Premier League previous season.

The Old Trafford giants are lagging in 14th place this season, and it was no secret that United had been in talks with potential managers at the beginning of the summer.

The Dutchman now looks to be living on borrowed time.

Although Gareth Southgate, Graham Potter, and Massimiliano Allegri have all been mentioned as possible Ten Hag replacements, Manchester Evening News reports that former Chelsea head coach Tuchel has gone to the top of the list.

Tuchel has been out of a job since his departure from Bayern Munich as part of ‘a sporting realignment’ at the end of last season, just 15 months into his tenure at the Allianz Arena.

The report claims United’s hierarchy have scheduled a meeting in London for today and the fact that Tuchel is immediately attainable stands out as a major ‘attraction’.

It’s understood Tuchel held discussions with United’s co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe earlier this year over the prospect of taking over the reins at the Theatre of Dreams.

Tuchel began his managerial career with Augsburg II and went on to take charge of Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain before replacing Frank Lampard at Chelsea in January 2021.

The 51-year-old German guided the Blues to three pieces of silverware, including the 2020/21 Champions League, during his 20-month tenure in west London.

‘We took this position, the initiative came from the club, and so it is and I’m fine with it,’ Tuchel said regarding his Bayern Munich exit earlier this summer.

‘I don’t need it for the extra percentage of competitiveness because I’m always up for a win, I’m always thinking how to improve the squad or how to improve myself in coaching.

‘We go all in. Does it have an influence on where I am next season? Maybe not.

‘Maybe I’m on holiday no matter what, let’s see, let’s see.’

Asked whether Ratcliffe and his advisors still backed him, Ten Hag replied: ‘I don’t have any idea that’s different because [otherwise] they should have told me. We communicate very openly. It’s very transparent.

‘We are all on board together, on one page. We know what we are working through is a long-term process. I speak continually with them. After the game I have to do my job – talking to the players, managing the players and answering questions from the media.

‘But we always talk every week. I would say we talk every day so I expect I will speak to them.’