The clandestine meeting between Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Thomas Tuchel in Monaco has shed light on potential changes at Manchester United.
Tuchel, who parted ways with Bayern Munich at the end of the season, has been heavily linked with the managerial position at Manchester United.
Tuchel’s tenure at Bayern Munich was brief, lasting just three months. During this time, he guided the team to the Champions League semifinals but fell short in the Bundesliga, with Bayer Leverkusen clinching the title. Despite these efforts, his stint at the German club concluded abruptly, leaving him open to new opportunities.
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United is under scrutiny, despite leading the team to an FA Cup victory over Manchester City and securing a Europa League spot with an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.
Ten Hag’s contract is set to expire next year, but uncertainty surrounds his tenure beyond this season. Reports from Germany suggest that Manchester United might be contemplating a managerial change, potentially paving the way for Tuchel.
Journalist Christian Falk of BILD Sport reported that Tuchel and Ratcliffe discussed plans for Tuchel to take over from ten Hag at Old Trafford.
While Tuchel reportedly laid out his vision for the club, he has no intention of assuming a new role this summer. Instead, the meeting seemed to focus on long-term planning and potential future collaborations.
Tuchel’s track record includes revitalizing players like Antonio Rudiger at Chelsea, suggesting he could similarly reinvigorate Manchester United talents such as Jadon Sancho and Mason Mount. This capability aligns with the club’s need to rebuild and enhance its squad dynamics.
Louis van Gaal, the former manager of Manchester United and current head coach of the Netherlands, offered his perspective on ten Hag’s situation in a Sky Sports interview. Van Gaal emphasized that ten Hag deserves more time to prove himself, drawing parallels to his own tenure at United.
Van Gaal won the FA Cup during his time at the club, a feat not achieved for 20 years before him, and believes ten Hag’s initial success warrants patience from the club’s management.
Ten Hag himself addressed speculation about his future following the FA Cup final, expressing his commitment to the project at Manchester United. He acknowledged the challenges of rebuilding a team that was in disarray when he arrived and highlighted the progress made so far.
Despite winning two trophies in two years and reaching three finals, ten Hag remains focused on further improvement and success.
He stated, “I’m in a project, and we’re just where we want to be. We’re building a group. At United, things were in disarray when I came over. We are in the process of building a team for the future. We’ll ride out the highs and lows. What you observe is that the squad is growing and succeeding; ultimately, winning trophies is what matters.”
Ten Hag’s resolve reflects his long-term vision for Manchester United. He added, “Two trophies in two years is not terrible. It’s not terrible to have three finals, but we must continue.
It doesn’t satisfy me. We must perform better. I go somewhere else to win championships if they don’t want me anymore because that is what I have done my entire career.”
