United stars want Pochettino over Ten Hag this summer
MANCHESTER UNiTED’S players are in favour of Mauricio Pochettino taking over as manager at the end of the season. Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is Pochettino’s main rival for the job when interim manager Ralf Rangnick steps down and moves into a consultancy role in May. However, the majority of the United squad would prefer Pochettino, who has expressed a willingness to quit Paris Saint-Germain and return to English football at Old Trafford. He led Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League final after a memorable win over Ten Hag’s Ajax in the last four. United put out feelers to see if Pochettino would be available after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November, but were told that PSG’s Qatari owners were unwilling to release him from his contract in mid-season. The club installed Michael Carrick as caretaker manager for three games, then Rangnick as interim for the rest of the season, to allow more time to make the right appointment come the summer. Pochettino’s future at Parc des Princes is uncertain even though his team are on course to reclaim the French title from Lille. The 49-year-old is under pressure to deliver success in the Champions League after losing to Manchester City in last season’s semi-final and he faces Real Madrid in the last 16, with the first leg in Paris on Tuesday. Ajax play Benfica later this month and Ten Hag, 52, has many admirers at Old Trafford for the work he has done with a young squad at the Dutch club. Rangnick is one of those admirers but it remains to be seen how much influence the German has at United once he begins a two-year consultancy. United are now expected to step up their search for a permanent boss after new chief executive Richard Arnold replaced Ed Woodward at the start of the month. They are keen to make a decision before the end of the season and have the new man in place as soon as possible after that, so he can play a part in new signings and contract renewals among the current squad. United are expected to confirm the sale of midfielder Andreas Pereira to Flamengo by the end of the week for £8.8million, with a 25 per cent sell-on clause.