In a surprising twist, Thomas Tuchel has reportedly turned down the opportunity to manage Manchester United.
The 51-year-old coach, who parted ways with Bayern Munich at the end of last season, was widely speculated to be the top choice to replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Discussions with United’s Leadership
Tuchel was even seen in Monaco meeting with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a part-owner of United, where they discussed potential plans for the club.
Despite these talks, and a thorough review from INEOS, Manchester United chose to extend Ten Hag’s contract after a disappointing season that saw them finish eighth in the Premier League.
Close to a Deal, but Issues Arise
According to Bild, Tuchel was on the verge of taking over Ten Hag’s role but balked at the last minute.
The issue stemmed from disagreements over the proposed transfer structure at the club, which led Tuchel to reconsider.
German football pundit Marcel Reif mentioned that Tuchel was very close to finalizing the deal but ultimately decided against it, citing concerns about external influences on transfer decisions.
Manchester United’s New Transfer Approach
This summer, United has undergone a significant restructure off the field, bringing in new figures such as CEO Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and interim head of recruitment Christopher Vivell.
The new transfer strategy is reportedly more collaborative, with Ten Hag having less say than before.
United’s summer spending exceeded £200 million, with new additions including Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte.
Despite these changes, Tuchel’s past conflicts with board members over transfer policies at Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich likely made him wary of a similar situation at United.
Future Prospects
When asked about the possibility of Tuchel joining United in the future, Reif was not optimistic.
He suggested that Tuchel, who prefers to build something substantial over time, would need a full transfer window and a stable environment to succeed.
As for Manchester United, they will resume their Premier League campaign after the international break with a challenging away fixture against Southampton, aiming to turn their season around following two losses in their first three matches.
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