Thomas Tuchel has laid down the gauntlet to Manchester United amid a flurry of links between the outgoing Bayern Munich head coach and the Premier League side.
Erik ten Hag’s role at Old Trafford has looked increasingly under pressure in the wake of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover at the Manchester club in February, but the possibility of the Dutchman extending his spell with United took a blow on Monday night.
A 4-0 humbling at Crystal Palace was the latest in the string of calamitous defeats or points dropped amid a turbulent season for Man United, and relations between Ten Hag and his players are thought to be at a low point.
The Man United hierarchy are believed to be interested in Ten Hag seeing out the remainder of the season – which will see the club attempt to end their campaign on a high note in their FA Cup final against Manchester City – but Ratcliffe is thought to be all but decided about moving on thereafter.
Tuchel, who was dismissed in February but has continued on at the Allianz to finish the 2023-24 term, is one of a number of names understood to be in contention for United.
With speculation over who might takeover from Ten Hag at a fever pitch after Monday evening’s defeat, the former Chelsea manager appeared to issue a come-and-get-me plea to the United board.
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‘I’d rather not answer,’ Tuchel began when asked about the possibility of a return to the Premier League.
‘But it is no secret that I loved it at Chelsea, I loved it in England, and I loved it in the Premier League for sure.
‘I was a very, very special time in England, and I remember it well,’ Tuchel said to TNT Sports.
The 50-year-old served at the helm of the west London club between 2021 and 2022, during which time he won the Champions League, the Super Cup, and Club World Cup with the Blues.
But with the side’s change of ownership in May 2022, Tuchel quickly fell out of favour at Stamford Bridge and was replaced by former Brighton manager Graham Potter just four months later.
The head coach lasted a turbulent 10 months in Munich after stepping into Julian Nagelsmann’s shoes.
Tuchel was then given his marching orders after Bayern’s chance of claiming a 12th consecutive Bundesliga title were slipping away in the face of eventual champions’ Bayer Leverkusen’s total dominance.
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Victory in Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final second-leg tie against Real Madrid represents the club’s last shot at silverware this season, but even if the club do claim their seventh European top-flight title at Wembley in June, Tuchel has ruled out staying in place.
‘It’s very, very, very unlikely that it’s at Bayern, I have to say,’ Tuchel continued when asked about his future. ‘Because we have an agreement, there is at the moment no reason to doubt this agreement.
‘We took this position, the initiative came from the club, and so it is and I’m fine with it.
‘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.’
Alongside Tuchel, Man United are also thought to be considering a short list including former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Potter – who is currently without a managerial role, and England head coach Gareth Southgate.
But potential candidates could yet be put off by the hefty media scrutiny awaiting the person who takes up one of the most pressurised positions in the men’s game.
A report on Tuesday suggested that the impact of comments made by former club icons including Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand is causing concern among the cohort.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
