Tuchel and De Zerbi 'interviewed better' than Pochettino for Man Utd job in 2024

Mauricio Pochettino was not the standout candidate when Manchester United conducted managerial interviews in the summer of 2024, with insiders claiming both Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi gave more convincing accounts of themselves during the process. The revelation adds an awkward backdrop to reports that United have now reached an agreement in principle to appoint the 54-year-old as Michael Carrick’s successor at Old Trafford.

United parted ways with Carrick on Thursday morning after a dismal start to the Premier League season left the club 18th in the table, having won just one of their opening ten fixtures. A string of names were linked with the vacancy — among them Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte and Gareth Southgate — but Pochettino quickly emerged as the leading candidate.

Bringing him in will not come cheap. The Argentine is contracted to manage the United States national team until 2030, and his release clause is set at $10 million (£7.4m). That figure, combined with the severance package owed to Carrick — understood to be around £3m — means United face a significant outlay before a ball has been kicked under the new regime.

According to The i, the 2024 interview process took place as United weighed up cutting ties with Erik ten Hag following a disappointing eighth-place finish. The club ultimately extended Ten Hag’s contract, but Pochettino was not considered their preferred contingency option at the time, with Tuchel and De Zerbi both rated more highly by those present. Tuchel subsequently took charge of England after Southgate’s resignation, while De Zerbi moved to Marseille.

When results failed to improve sufficiently under Ten Hag, United turned instead to Sporting CP’s Rúben Amorim in October 2024. That appointment also ended in disappointment, with the Portuguese coach dismissed a little over a year into his tenure following a string of poor performances attributed in part to tactical incompatibility.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the United hierarchy will be acutely aware that the club’s recent managerial record — a costly cycle of appointments, short stints and expensive exits — demands they get this decision right. Whether Pochettino, a man who was not the first or second choice in the previous round of interviews, is the answer remains an open question.