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One-time Carabao Cup winner Darren Bent believes Manchester United should target Thomas Tuchel instead of Mauricio Pochettino to take over the club next season.
The Red Devils have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager Pochettino for some time now. He is said to be leading their wishlist, alongside AFC Ajax's Erik ten Hag, to become the club's next permanent manager.
However, the recent sanctions placed on Chelsea and the uncertainty surrounding their future off the pitch have given rise to rumors linking Tuchel to Old Trafford. It remains unknown whether the German would want to make the switch.
Bent, who was part of the last Tottenham Hotspur team to win a major trophy, believes Tuchel is a better choice for Manchester United than Pochettino or ten Hag. He said on talkSPORT:
"Thomas Tuchel is in a different bracket to them two (Pochettino and ten Hag). Pochettino has gone to PSG and failed you have to say, gone out of the CL, didn't win the French League last season, has won it this season, I think he's lost the cup, doesn't look like he can handle big egos at all."
Interestingly, Pochettino took over at PSG in January last year after the club parted ways with Tuchel in December 2020.
The German was sacked after a poor start to the 2020-21 season, though he led the Ligue 1 club to an excellent 2019-20 campaign. Tuchel won the league-cup double and also took them to the UEFA Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
Pochettino, on the other hand, failed to win the league last season and only lifted the French Cup. He has already missed out on the Cup this campaign and has seen his side exit the Champions League, though they hold a 12-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.
Bent continued:
"Tuchel went to PSG, got them to the CL final, won the league and he was called a failure, but he got them to the final. If you ask me, Tuchel looks like a world class manager, he looks like he's quite loyal to Chelsea but you never know what can happen when the takeover does happen."
The 13-time England international concluded:
"If there was an inkling that Manchester United can get Thomas Tuchel, I'd go all out to get him."
Thomas Tuchel not in Manchester United's wishlist according to reports
A recent report from Sky Sports stated that Manchester United aren't looking at Tuchel. The Red Devils are rumored to believe that bringing in the Chelsea boss would be an "unrealistic avenue to explore."
They instead have a four-man shortlist, with Pochettino and ten Hag the headline options. The other two men on the list are Spain head coach Luis Enrique and Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui.
It remains to be seen who the club will appoint as all four candidates are presently occupied with teams of their own.
