Ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel makes decision on Erik ten Hag’s job after meeting Man United owner

Thomas Tuchel has decided not to take the Manchester United manager role after meetings with the club’s owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Soccernet.football understands.

Tuchel, who left Bayern Munich in the summer, rejected United’s offer, saying he plans to take a break from football, according to The Sun.

Manchester United had identified Tuchel as their top candidate as Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford remains uncertain following a lacklustre campaign. However, Tuchel’s decision to step away from management rules him out of replacing Ten Hag.

During his meetings, Tuchel reportedly discussed how he would address recent problematic issues at United, including how to get the best out of players like Jadon Sancho. He referenced his success with former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger as an example.

Ten Hag recently led United to an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, marking his second consecutive year delivering silverware. Despite this success, his future is under review by Ineos, the club’s new minority owners.

United finished eighth in the Premier League and missed out on Champions League qualification for the 2024/5 season, partly due to an extensive injury list.

Ratcliffe is aware that Ten Hag still has considerable support from the fans. A final decision on whether to retain Ten Hag or appoint a new manager is expected this week.

Potential replacements include England manager Gareth Southgate, who is currently focused on the Euro 2024 campaign, and former Chelsea and Brighton manager Graham Potter, who is currently out of work. Ratcliffe has previously shown interest in hiring Potter for Nice.

For now, Erik ten Hag remains Manchester United’s manager, hoping to lead the team next season after their recent FA Cup triumph at Wembley.