Mauricio Pochettino opens door to Manchester United job in future

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 19 November 2022

Mauricio Pochettino opens door to Man United job in future

Mauricio Pochettino refuses to close the door on managing Manchester United in the future, having been heavily linked with the job before Erik ten Hag's appointment.

Mauricio Pochettino has refused to close the door on taking over as Manchester United manager in the future.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain head coach was heavily linked with the Red Devils role following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last year.

Once Ralf Rangnick's temporary time in charge came to an end, Pochettino was regarded as one of the frontrunners to take over following his sacking from PSG.

However, Man United ultimately opted to hire Erik ten Hag, with the ex-Ajax manager signing a three-year deal at Old Trafford until the summer of 2025.

Since taking the reins, Ten Hag has led Man United to 26 points from their opening 14 games of the Premier League season, leaving them fifth in the table before the World Cup break.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag pictured on October 19, 2022 © Reuters

The Red Devils also made it through to the knockout round playoffs of the Europa League, setting up a mouthwatering tie with Barcelona after failing to earn a direct route into the last 16.

While Ten Hag is not expected to leave his post any time soon, Pochettino has hinted that he would consider the Old Trafford job in the future, as the Argentine believes that the 'train will pass the station just once'.

Speaking to Radio Marca, Pochettino said: "Football is timing. It's the moments for it to coincide and for the marriage to happen. Sometimes it's just a matter of timing. I don't believe that trains pass just once."

Pochettino won the Ligue 1 title with four games to spare as PSG manager in the 2021-22 season, having also led Les Parisiens to Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions glory since taking over from Thomas Tuchel in January 2021.

However, failure to end PSG's run of disappointments in the Champions League cost the 50-year-old his job, with Christophe Galtier arriving from Nice to replace Pochettino in the summer.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Mauricio Pochettino on February 26, 2022 © Reuters

Pochettino has been linked with the likes of Nice, Aston Villa and Villarreal over the past few months, but he remains without a job in management heading into the World Cup.

Should England pull the trigger on Gareth Southgate after the Qatar tournament, Pochettino has been tipped to succeed the 52-year-old, who is under contract at Wembley until 2024.

In a separate interview with The Athletic, the Argentine also affirmed that he would be open to the Three Lions job, saying: "Of course, my relationship with England has always been very good.

"We have a very good relationship with the academies, trying to develop young players for the national team. I feel so comfortable here. You never know what happens. I am open to everything."

England kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium in Monday's Group B clash.