Thomas Tuchel is out of the reckoning to manage Manchester United if they decide to sack Erik ten Hag.
The German, who left Bayern Munich at the end of the season, held talks with United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe last week but is not a candidate any more.
Ten Hag, meanwhile, is still waiting to discover his fate as United’s end-of-season review continues. The club have set no timescale to make their decision, leaving the FA Cup-winning manager in limbo.
He said after the FA Cup final, when he lifted a second trophy in as many seasons in England, that if United fired him then he would win silverware somewhere else instead. “If they don’t want me any more then I go somewhere else to win trophies because that is what I did my whole career,” he said.
However, Ten Hag, who has one year left on his contract, hopes to stay. United only came eighth – their lowest ever Premier League finish – last season in what Ten Hag has called a “horrible” campaign, but the Dutchman has said he inherited a “mess” and believes injuries were a mitigating factor in their season.
Ratcliffe and Ineos have been conducting an assessment of United since the billionaire took a 27.7 per cent stake in the club. He has parted company with John Murtough, the football director who appointed Ten Hag, and is bringing in new executives, with technical director Jason Wilcox having already arrived, chief executive Omar Berrada due to start next month and Dan Ashworth wanted to become sporting director.
However, while there has been change in other areas, United are yet to determine who their manager will be. Ineos admire Gareth Southgate, who is focusing on England’s Euro 2024 campaign. Kieran McKenna, who was a possible candidate, instead signed a new contract to stay at Ipswich.
Tuchel, who was interested in taking over at Old Trafford, is now likely to take time away from the game while he considers his next options.
The 50-year-old’s departure from Bayern was announced in February but the club had a change of thought near the end of the season, having talks to see if he could stay. They have since appointed Vincent Kompany.
