Reports: Paris Saint-Germain Sporting Director Leonardo draws up four-man shortlist to replace Thomas Tuchel
The budding war at Paris Saint-Germain between Leonardo and Thomas Tuchel seems to have caught fire after the midweek defeat at the hands of Manchester United. According to reports, the Paris Saint-Germain Sporting Director has already lost his patience with Tuchel and is looking for his replacement.
Trouble started earlier this month after the Paris Saint-Germain manager stated that if PSG wanted to better their success from last season, they needed new signings. Leonardo had openly expressed his displeasure at the German manager’s words and even hinted that Tuchel could face action for his choice of words.
PSG are second in the Ligue 1 table this season after seven games, with two defeats already. The tension was brewing at the French capital ahead of the UEFA Champions League tie against Manchester United and those have been compounded with the results. Paris Saint-Germain failed to impress against the Red Devils, who dictated the proceedings and won 2-1. And it now appears that an opening defeat in the Champions League might have been the final straw to break the camel’s back for Leonardo.
Paris Saint-Germain have a 4-man shortlist to replace Tuchel
Tuchel joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2018, replacing the outgoing Unai Emery. Since then, the German has won the Ligue 1 and the Trophee des Champions in both his seasons at the club. Last season, he also won the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue, while guiding Paris Saint-Germain to the finals of the UEFA Champions League.
The Parisians are in Group H of the Champions League this time, which is already touted as the group of death, so a defeat in the first game of the season is far from ideal. And it might actually spell doom for the German because PSG Sporting Director already has a 4-man shortlist to replace him.
Leonardo has asked the Paris Saint-Germain board to replace Tuchel, with one of Mauricio Pochettino, Massimiliano Allegri, Thiago Motta, and Laurent Blanc expected to take his job. Interestingly, none of the candidates on their shortlist hold managerial roles at the moment. Pochettino has been waiting for his next assignment since parting ways with Tottenham in November 2019.
Allegri, who is the pick of the four, last managed Juventus in the 2018/19 season, leaving the club at the end of the season after winning five Serie A titles, four Coppa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana trophies and also guiding the club to two UEFA Champions League finals. Thiago Motta is the wildcard in the list, but he knows his way around, having managed the Paris Saint-Germain Under-19s in the 2018/19 season.
Blanc was quite successful during his three seasons as the Paris Saint-Germain manager, where he won several trophies before leaving the club. The question is, which of these four managers will be the ideal choice to take over from Tuchel?