"He wants to get straight back into football" - Journalist claims ex-Chelsea manager is ready to take the Manchester United job
Journalist Ben Jacobs has said that Mauricio Pochettino - who left Chelsea at the end of the 2023-24 Premier League season - could be ready to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
The Dutchman is under pressure at Old Trafford after a less than impressive campaign. Following the highs of 2022-23 - a third-placed league finish, FA Cup final, EFL Cup win - United endured a whopping 19 defeats across competitions.
They finished a lowly eighth in the league - where they lost 14 games - but ended the season with a 2-1 upset win over holders Manchester City in the FA Cup final. However, that might not be enough to keep Ten Hag at the Old Trafford hot seat.
Meanwhile, Pochettino was let go by the Blues after a lone season in charge despite returning them to Europe with a sixth-placed finish with a largely new-look side plagued by injuries and inconsistency.
Jacos said that the Argentine would be raring to take up the job at Old Trafford if it's offered to him and that United would have taken note of Pochettino's exploits with the Blues. He said on The United Stand (as per TBR):
“They know Pochettino well, and Pochettino would take the Manchester United job I’m told. He wants to get straight back into football, and he has no reservations, and United have no reservations about Pochettino’s time at Chelsea."
Pochettino has managed the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-German in the past.
How Manchester United and Chelsea fared on the last day of the Premier League season
Both Chelsea and Manchester United registered wins on the final day of the 2023-24 Premier League season on May 19. While the Blues saw off Bournemouth 2-1 at home, United won 2-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Coming to the Blues' game, Moises Caicedo opened the scoring for Mauricio Pochettino's side inside 17 minutes before Raheem Sterling doubled their advantage three minutes after the break.
Benoit Badiashile put through his own net a minute later, but the Blues won their fifth straight league game to finish a creditable sixth and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
Meanwhile, United rode second-half goals from Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund to end the league season with a win before upsetting City in the FA Cup final a week later.