Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager Mauricio Pochettino remained discreet about his future in Paris and links with Manchester United in a recent interview.
The Argentine has been consistently linked with an exit from the club after a disappointing exit in the Champions League this season. The Sunday Times reported that he is set to be sacked sooner rather than later.
Pochettino joined the Ligue 1 club in January 2021, taking over from Thomas Tuchel. It hasn't been the easiest of times for him in Paris. They are set to win the French top flight with a lead of 12 points at the top, which might relieve some pressure on him.
However, they were eliminated from the Coupe de France and the Champions League this season. The Champions League Round of 16 defeat to Real Madrid was a demoralizing one as they blew a two-goal lead inside 45-minutes against a Karim Benzema hat-trick. This has put speculation about Pochettino's future at PSG beyond this season.
Speaking to Amazon Prime Video France (via Le10Sport), he said:
“For the moment, we haven’t talked about the future. I have one year left on my contract, but it is important to analyze before making the decision, and we will respect the club’s decision in the future. It will happen what will happen.”
The Argentine was recently booed by the club's fans ahead of their 5-1 win against Lorient in Ligue 1 on Sunday, 3 March. Hence, his exit from the club could be closer than ever.
PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino amongst the favorites for the Manchester United job
As per Mirror, Manchester United have spoken to Pochettino for the permanent manager role at Old Trafford. The PSG manager is one of the two favorites for the role, with the other being Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.
Manchester United also reportedly spoke to ten Hag recently. They are also set to speak to Spain coach Luis Enrique next week, as per another report from Mirror.
It could be one of the biggest decisions for the Premier League club since Sir Alex Ferguson departed in 2013. They haven't won the title since then and have now gone trophyless for five straight seasons.
They are struggling in the race for the top four this season as well. The Red Devils are seventh in the league, three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Hence, it will be a big task for the new manager to return the glory days to United. It will be interesting to see who eventually ends up joining them and takes up this daunting task.