Varun Pai
PSG sporting director Leonardo reveals that Mauricio Pochettino has not asked to leave the club amidst Manchester United interest
Speaking to AFP (h/t Tribal Football), PSG sporting director Leonardo revealed that the French club do not want Mauricio Pochettino to leave amidst interest from Manchester United.
The Red Devils parted ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer earlier in the week and look set to appoint Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis. The search for a permanent manager will however have to wait until the summer. One of the elite few linked to the job is Pochettino.
A former Tottenham Hotspur manager, Pochettino is an experienced hand in the English Premier League. While his time at the Lane may not have yielded trophies, he put together an exciting Spurs side that threatened to upset the applecart.
But United’s hopes of landing the 49-year-old appears to have hit a roadblock. This is thanks to PSG’s sporting director, Leonardo, has now revealed that Man United have yet to contact PSG regarding the manager. He told AFP (h/t Tribal Football):
“We do not want Mauricio Pochettino to go. He has never asked to leave, and nobody has contacted us for him.”
The Argentinian failed to help the club win major silverware last year, including missing out on retaining the league title. He has had an impressive start this season, as PSG are top of the table by 11 points.
Pochettino has infact failed to get a star packed PSG side firing all cylinders. Their deficiencies have been more prevalent in the Champions League when up against quality opposition. Despite the struggles, Leonardo admits that the club is not keen to see the Argentine leave.
Could Man United actually lure Pochettino out of PSG?
For all of our interest in the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, there has been nothing substantial on his part that might indicate that a return to England might be on the cards.
Also his time at PSG has shown an inability to handle the biggest players in the sport. Given that he will have to do just that at Old Trafford, Man Untied will do well to proceed with caution. Time will tell if it’s just a passing phase or if Pochettino has been found out at the top level.
However, it must be noted that his family still stays in England as he works out of a hotel in France. It is also said that he is unhappy at the French capital. Whether this is enough for Man United to return for his services remains to be seen.
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Regardless, we might not have to fret over his appointment for at least the next six months. United are apparently also ready to hand Rangnick a consultancy role after his duties end as an interim boss. Thus, his expertise will be key when hiring a permanent manager. And it looks like we shall finally have an experienced footballing head working behind the scenes.
Just who we will zero in as the next permanent managers remains to be seen.
