Manchester United are monitoring Thomas Tuchel’s situation at Chelsea as they intensify their search for a new manager and also have Sevilla’s Julen Lopetegui on their shortlist.
Three other candidates are understood to be of particular interest: Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino, Erik ten Hag of Ajax and Spain’s Luis Enrique. Of those, Enrique could be the most difficult to land because he intends to lead Spain at the World Cup, which starts in Qatar in November, and United are intent on having a new manager in charge for the start of next season.
Chelsea’s predicament has alerted the Old Trafford hierarchy to the potential availability of Tuchel. The future of the Champions League holders is unsure after the government imposed sanctions on their owner, Roman Abramovich. United are aware that Tuchel is contracted until 2024 and has stated he will remain at Chelsea until the end of season. The London club have been granted a special licence to operate until 31 May but if they are not sold by then it is unclear what the consequences will be. Tuchel has impressed United with a CV that includes winning last season’s Champions League, after turning Chelsea around having replaced Frank Lampard last January. The 48-year-old also led Chelsea to the FA Cup final before claiming the Uefa Super Cup and the Fifa Club World Cup, and losing this season’s Carabao Cup final.
Pochettino and Ten Hag have seen their teams, like United, go out of the Champions League in the last 16. On Thursday Lopetegui, a former Spain and Real Madrid manager, continues his quest to win a second Europa League with Sevilla, who take a 1-0 first-leg lead to West Ham in their last-16 tie. His team are second in La Liga, 10 points behind Madrid.
United were knocked out of the Champions League by Atlético Madrid, 2-1 on aggregate, at Old Trafford on Tuesday. After the final whistle objects were thrown by some home fans at Diego Simeone as Atlético’s manager ran for the tunnel. It is understood United are reviewing CCTV footage and those found responsible will be banned for three years.
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Marcus Rashford was filmed responding to fans when walking to his transport home from the stadium and has issued a statement denying he raised a middle finger to them.
The forward, who is out of form and has lost his starting berth, said: “I did not gesture with my middle finger. I am not entitled. This isn’t ego. I’m upset. I’m disappointed. And in that moment it was silly but I was being human.”
Rashford also said: “For weeks I’ve been heckled, threatened, questioned and last night my emotion got the better of me … What I actually said to the man throwing abuse at me [was]: ‘Come over her and say it to my face.’”
