While his future on the Parisian bench seems uncertain, Mauricio Pochettino has launched a few hooks behind the scenes to join Manchester United. But it is far from over for the Argentinian.
A month of March to forget. Between elimination against Real Madrid in the Champions League and two defeats in Ligue 1 against Nice and Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain had a terrible month. And even during their victory against Bordeaux, a few days after the fall against the Merengues, the Parisians did not have a good time since they were whistled by the Parc des Princes. A situation that is enough to give headaches to Mauricio Pochettino, who cannot find the solutions.
An inevitable departure
His players are no longer really there, as evidenced by the failed performance on the Rock on Sunday, and his locker room is on the verge of implosion. Several elements are also thinking about their future. This is also the case for the Argentine coach. Arrived on the Parisian bench in the winter of 2020 after the departure of Thomas Tuchel, Pochettino had to restart the machine. But ultimately, his record at PSG is far from successful. Last year, the capital club lost the title to LOSC.
This season, Paris should win. But the Parisians have left the Champions League, they who nevertheless have Messi, Neymar and Mbappé in their ranks. Already announced on the departure last summer, Pochettino, who had extended, had finally stayed. This time, the technician who receives a salary of 1.1 million euros per month is likely to leave. To dismiss him with his staff before the end of his contract in 2023, Paris will have to pay 20 million euros according to The Team.
Pochettino keeps United in the lead
Despite this, his fate seems to be sealed. Its future should be written far from Paris. Behind the scenes, the Argentine coach dreams of a return to the Premier League where he has had many successes at Southampton and Tottenham. He is targeting the Manchester United bench, which is looking for a coach to revive the club after five years without a title. Sky Sports explains that the PSG coach is on the list of technicians appreciated by the Red Devils to succeed the interim Ralf Rangnick.
A list where we also find Julen Lopetegui and Luis Enrique. But the two Spaniards will be difficult to dislodge and are not the first choices. Thomas Tuchel was one of them but the Mancunians do not want to take the risk of moving forward on this file only to be disappointed in the end if the German decides to stay at Chelsea with the new owners. On the other hand, the Erik ten Hag track is gaining more and more weight within the English club. The duel between him and Pochettino is launched for the Man Utd bench.
Advantage Ten Hag
According to The Sun, the Dutchman is also the big favorite today. The British publication explains that Manchester United has prepared files on each of the candidates, focusing in particular on their background. And the Mancunian leaders, helped by Ralf Rangnick, believe that the Ajax coach has all the qualities required to lead MU for the next five years and bring the club back to the top of English and European football.
They also believe that it will be able to attract players and allow MU to keep certain elements on departure. The idea would be to make an announcement before the end of the season or before the transfer window in order to be able to work on recruitment. Before that, it will be necessary to agree with Ajax, since his contract ends in 2023. The same goes for Mauricio Pochettino, who has the advantage of knowing the Premier League well and who has shown that he can compete with great coaches in England. The PSG coach still has a good rating, but he is currently ahead. Bad news for Pochettino who is definitely living through a black month of March.
