Ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel makes decision over Man Utd job
Thomas Tuchel is ‘open’ to taking over at Manchester United if the Premier League giants decide to sack struggling manager Erik ten Hag.
It appears as though Ten Hag’s future will be decided one way or another on Tuesday when United chiefs gather in London to assess the club’s start to the season.
The Dutchman needed a quick start following a summer in which the club approached several managers about replacing him.
Manchester United finished eighth in the Premier League last season and appeared set to sack Ten Hag until he masterminded an impressive victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Several players came out in support of Ten Hag after the Wembley triumph but more dismal performances in the early stages of this season suggest time is running out for the ex-Ajax boss.
United suffered a harrowing 3-0 defeat to Tottenham at Old Trafford eight days ago and then surrendered a two-goal lead in a 3-3 draw with Porto in the Europa League.
Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa felt pivotal and a goalless draw was arguably the most United fans could have hoped for given the club’s poor form and Villa’s sensational rise under Unai Emery.
But Manchester United have still endured their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign, just eight points from their opening seven games leaving them 14th in the table, five points above the relegation zone and six points off the Champions League places.
Several pundits have called for Ten Hag to be sacked and earlier this week it was reported that Tuchel had emerged as a target for United if they do opt for a change.
Tuchel – who previously worked in England at Chelsea, leading the Blues to Champions League glory in 2021 – spoke to the Red Devils over the summer before United decided to stick with Ten Hag.
The fact those talks broke down does not appear to have diminished Tuchel’s desire to manage Manchester United, however, with the Daily Express saying he is ‘open’ to taking the job.
He is, of course, available after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season. His Bayern side won the Bundesliga title in 2022-23 but finished 18 points behind Bayer Leverkusen last term.
United also hold interest in other managers but the fact Tuchel is out of work may work in his favour if Tuesday’s meeting culminates in Ten Hag’s departure.
Ten Hag does not expect that to be the case, at least publicly, and said after the Villa draw that everyone at the club was ‘on the same page’.
Asked if he believed the United owners were still fully behind him, Ten Hag said: ‘I don’t have any idea that is different because they should have told me. We communicate – very open, very transparent.
‘I would say every day we talk, so I expect I will speak with them. We know what we are working through, it’s a long-term process.
‘We have come through two very tough away games. This is a team, we showed the belief and faith we have.’
Another potential option for Manchester United is club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy, who returned to Old Trafford in the summer as Ten Hag’s assistant manager.
Van Nistelrooy lacks substantial managerial experience but would be a decent option to replace Ten Hag, according to Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant Rene Meulensteen.
‘Ruud van Nistelrooy has plenty going for him when it comes to potentially taking over at Old Trafford,’ the ex-United coach told BoyleSports.
‘He knows the club, he knows the expectations of the club and he’s strong-willed with a very strong personality.
‘The key is to make sure that you can focus on the most important aspects which are getting the team playing for you, then when things calm down you can do your best work.
‘When the performances are not going your way then the scrutiny becomes so big. You need to create a strong culture with the players and the staff if you’re going to be a success.’
But Meulensteen also believes Tuchel, 51, has what it takes to ‘deal’ with the Manchester United job and all the pressures that come with it.
‘Thomas Tuchel is a strong character and a strong personality, I think he has a clear idea of how he wants to play and I think he could deal with managing a huge club like Manchester United,’ he added.
‘Messages from managers need to be conveyed to the team very, very loud and very, very clearly and he is the sort of person and character that could handle a club the size of Manchester United.
‘He has managed huge clubs and he knows what the Premier League is all about, the only interesting factor is why things didn’t progress after he spoke to the club last summer. Maybe he had a few questions that weren’t answered.
‘Manchester United is only about one thing. It’s competing for the biggest trophies and that includes the Premier League and doing well as they can in the Champions League, Tuchel has shown in the past that he can win trophies.’
With or without Ten Hag, United will look to kick-start their season against Brentford following the international break, before travelling to Turkey to face Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.