Manchester United linked with surprise managerial candidate

Manchester United have been in primary contact with the camp of Ernesto Valverde over the managerial job. He is only being considered as a temporary option, with the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Mauricio Pochettino being the favourites to take up the job permanently. 

Pochettino recently spoke out about the rumours linking him with a return to England. Here is what he had to say: 

“Rumours are there and we need to live with that. We are so focused, we are giving 100% to try to get our best form from the players to help us in this way, I am so happy with PSG. For tomorrow we are so focused to try and get the best result we can.

“I’m not going to make the mistake to talk. Everything we will say in a way, in the past when I was at Espanyol and my dream was to meet Ferguson, all that, I can tell now it’s going to be misunderstood and out of context.

“Football is today, it is not tomorrow. The club needs to plan and we need to plan always about what will happen tomorrow but football is about results.

“I think I was clear. I said to you all that my contract is until 2023. It is this season and one season more. I am really happy at Paris Saint-Germain. That is a fact. The fact is I am happy in Paris.”

Valverde has been out of a job since being sacked by Barcelona. In case Manchester United are unable to reach an agreement with PSG, who are demanding €12 million for their manager, then Valverde might be the one to take the reins at Old Trafford. 

Zinedine Zidane has also turned down the job offer, which leaves the United board somewhat strapped for options. Michael Carrick is currently in charge of the first team temporarily, and will step down to being the assistant coach when a more experienced candidate is chosen.