Manchester United’s managerial situation remains up in the air; however, Sir Alex Ferguson has offered his verdict on who should take the role.
Manchester United have yet to find a manager who has been able to bring the same success as Sir Alex Ferguson did to the club since he left the dugout in 2013.
Former United manager Rúben Amorim was sacked last week after a disappointing 1-1 draw to Leeds United and a public outburst in his press conference after the match, leaving former midfielder and Under-18’s coach Darren Fletcher in charge as interim manager.
It is reported that United will have a caretaker manager for the remainder of the season, with the permanent replacement for Amorim to be decided in the summer.
Although there have been many names floating around, there has been one option that has caught the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson, with the Scot giving this specific individual the green light to take charge at Old Trafford.
Mauricio Pochettino given high praise by Alex Ferguson
Thomas Tuchel, the current England national team manager, as well as Luis Enrique, who is reportedly unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain, are just two of the names who have been linked to be the next individual to take on the challenge to get the Reds to return to their past form.
Another name that has been floating around the circuit is Mauricio Pochettino, who has experience managing clubs within the Premier League. The Argentine has managed Southampton, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, with it rumoured that his next endeavour may be up north.
Pochettino’s links with the United job date all the way back to 2016 after he was seen leaving lunch with Ferguson, and according to The Metro, he is one of three Chelsea managers who have been added to United’s shortlist.
Ferguson praised Pochettino during his time at White Hart Lane in 2016, stating, “Well, the manager has been fantastic. They have a bad record of managers; there is no doubt about that. They have had so many over the years, but this lad has composure. You never see him ruffled, and the way his team plays is a testimony to the work he is doing.
“The most important thing for English football is how many English and young players are in his team. He understands the advantage of playing young people. They won’t let you down, and they have been fantastic,” before naming the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Kyle Walker, all of whom had benefited from the now-53-year-old’s touchline brilliance.
Alongside this, Ferguson has also gone as far as to name Pochettino the “best manager in the Premier League” during his time with Spurs, which will then come as no surprise that TalkSport has revealed that Ferguson has been pressing higher-ups at the club to give Pochettino the job.
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While Pochettino is not currently available to take full reign of Man United, due to managing the USMNT, this summer, as the team embarks on their World Cup run on home soil, the 53-year-old may become available after the tournament ends in July.
Former United captain Gary Neville has said that United are looking for a manager who has had experience with managing a team that has competed in the top flight of English football, something Pochettino has in abundance.
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This is not the former defender’s first time being linked with United after his name was floated around after the departures of both José Mourinho in 2018 and Erik ten Hag in 2022. 2026 may be his year, and the Argentinian is not shy of managing a big-name club.
It wouldn’t be a cheap deal for Pochettino, being one of the highest-paid managers in international football; however, some believe it would be worth the price tag, with all that’s left to do is wait while the club consider the pros and cons.
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