Krishnan Sreekumar
Sevilla head coach Julen Lopetegui rules himself out of running for the Manchester United permanent manager job
Speaking to El Chiringuito (h/t Manchester Evening News), Sevilla head coach Julen Lopetegui has ruled himself out of the running to become the next permanent manager of Manchester United ahead of the new season.
Man United are currently on the hunt for their next manager, after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer earlier in the campaign after the club legend led his side to a poor string of results, which saw the team slip down the Premier League table. Solskjaer had previously managed to guide the side to a second-place finish in the league last season.
Ralf Rangnick was then brought in from Lokomotiv Moscow on an interim basis until the summer, tasked with the job of guiding the team to a top-four finish by the end of the campaign in order to qualify for the Champions League next term.
The German is expected to give up his role at the end of the season to make way for a new, permanent manager, with the Red Devils looking at potential candidates for the vacancy at Old Trafford in the meantime.
“I have no doubt”
Lopetegui is one of the names considered for the managerial position at the Theatre of Dreams ahead of the new campaign, with the 55-year-old previously considered by the club to replace Solskjaer when the Norwegian was sacked in November. It is said that Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes pushed for the Spaniard to replace Solskjaer last year, but Rangnick was brought in instead.
Now though, the Sevilla boss has snubbed United, saying he has no doubt that he would continue on the Sevilla bench next season, and that he was currently where he wanted to be despite the speculation surrounding him.
“The [speculation], I can’t help it. I am where I want to be. Continue on the Sevilla bench next season? I have no doubt.”
Lopetegui’s name will be familiar to Man United fans, with the Spanish manager responsible for knocking the Premier League team out in the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2020, which he eventually went on to win.
His name continued to be floated around Old Trafford with respect to the managerial candidates being considered by the club hierarchy to succeed Rangnick, alongside Ajax Amsterdam boss Erik ten Hag and Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino.
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Ten Hag is said to be the Red Devils’ preferred option to be the new manager, and with Lopetegui taking himself out of the race, the Dutchman’s chances of being given the offer seem to be boosted. Pochettino now stands a good chance at landing the job as well, with the Sevilla boss withdrawing from the vacant position at Man United.
The Spaniard is currently helping his side catch up to leaders Real Madrid in the La Liga table, as they sit second. Man United loanee Anthony Martial, who is currently at Sevilla, will know enough about how the manager operates, but it seems that while the Frenchman will return to Manchester in the summer, his head coach will remain in Spain.
