Mauricio Pochettino remains the bookmaker’s favourite to take over at Manchester United for the start of the 2022/23 season even after Ralf Rangnick was brought in on an interim basis.
The Paris Saint-Germain manager has been installed as the prime candidate to take over at United when Rangnick’s six-month spell comes to an end at the end of the season and is currently priced at 4/6 to become Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s permanent successor.
Solskjaer was finally sacked after United lost at Watford following humblings by Manchester City and Liverpool in front of their own fans, and punters over 18 can use online promo codes to back the Argentine to be the next permanent United manager.
Rangnick is available at 4/1 to continue in the job past his interim posting, while Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is currently third favourite for the job at 9/2. Brendan Rodgers has moved out to 14/1 to make the switch from Leicester, and departing interim boss Michael Carrick is a 40/1 shot.
Rangnick got his Old Trafford reign off to a good start with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at the weekend, the first clean sheet United have kept at home in over 200 days
Pochettino has claimed he is happy at PSG, but reports suggest the French club may be open to let him leave at the end of the season.
“I am focused,” he said. “I am very focused on football. I am not a child, I spent my whole life playing football, and now in my 12th year being coach. We’re in a business that the rumours are there. I understand what is going on.
“This kind of thing cannot distract. Rumours are there, we need to live with that. We are so focused, giving 100 per cent to get our best from the club and the players. I am so happy at Paris Saint-Germain and we are focused to get the best results we can.
“What another club are doing is not my business. It was in the past when at Espanyol that I said my dream was to meet Sir Alex (Ferguson), anything I say now is going to be misunderstood and out of context.
“I was a PSG player. I love the club. I love the fans. We are fighting in Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
“My contract is to 2023. This season and one season more. I don’t say anything different. I am very happy at PSG. That is a fact.”
But despite his public declaration, former United right-back Gary Neville thinks Pochettino would jump at the chance of managing the Red Devils.
“I think Mauricio Pochettino – although he’d never say it – would leave to come to Man United on a five-year deal tomorrow,” Neville told Sky Sports.
“He’d look at that group of players, he’d look at the club and he’d realise he’d probably be able to achieve more than he wants at Man United in terms of a project.
“At PSG you are on season by season, ‘you’ve got to win the Champions League or you’re out’ – type of model. I don’t think that suits Pochettino. I think he would absolutely come to Man United on a five-year deal, with backing behind him.”
Absolutely they should wait. There’s been no one available in the last three or four weeks when this has come to a head that you could have given a three-and-a-half-year contract to.
“They have to make sure they get the next one right [even] if that means being patient for six months to wait for managers to become available at the end of the season.”
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