PSG were willing to let Mauricio Pochettino join Man Utd but demands weren’t met

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Manchester United may have appointed Ralf Rangnick as their new interim coach, but it has since emerged that Paris Saint-Germain were willing to part ways with their top target Mauricio Pochettino if their demands were met.

Rangnick arrives on a six-month deal until the end of the season to mark his first job in management since leaving Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig in 2019.

The 63-year-old has left his role at Lokomotiv Moscow — where he was head of sport development at the Russian club — to succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was sacked on November 21.

The plan is for Rangnick to then move into a consulting role for the final two years of his contract, where the German will play a key role in appointing his long-term successor.

It was widely reported that Man United had identified Pochettino as their top target to replace Solskjaer, while Ajax coach Erik ten Hag and Zinedine Zidane were also linked with the vacancy.

But the board's attempts to lure the former Tottenham boss to Old Trafford ended in failure, when the 49-year-old pledged his commitment to the Parisian club in a press conference before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League.

It was believed the United hierarchy had baulked at the price placed above Pochettino’s head, with PSG keen to recoup around £15m in compensation for the former Tottenham boss.

But according to French outlet Telefoot, PSG were prepared to let Pochettino leave the Parc des Princes for a smaller fee.

It is understood the Ligue 1 giants were seeking a payment in the region of €15m-€20m (£12.7m-£16.9m) if they were to give the green light on his move back to England.

But Telefoot journalist Julien Maynard reported the Red Devils never made a concrete offer to try and prise Pochettino away from the French outfit.

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PSG had already opened discussions with a replacement for Pochettino in the event that United did make an offer and former Real Madrid coach Zidane was thought to be their primary target.

However, United’s decision to look elsewhere meant those talks never went further and consequently, Pochettino remained in charge for their 3-1 win over Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

It remains entirely possible that Pochettino could take the long-term job at Old Trafford come the end of the season, especially if PSG fail to reach the latter stages of the Champions League.

There have been murmurs of discontent from the coach and his playing staff over Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi’s elevated status within the team, despite the 34-year-old’s struggles so far with only one Ligue 1 goal to his name in nine appearances.

Pochettino’s deal runs until June 2023, meaning he would have a year left on his contract at the end of the current campaign — giving PSG a decision to make on whether to offer him a new contract or allow him to join Man United.

But the appointment of Rangnick, a principled coach who bases his methods on intense pressing and high energy football, would suggest the club are ready to go in a different direction.

Ajax coach Ten Hag, 51, has been earmarked as the board’s favoured choice if Rangnick steps down at the end at the end of the season, having guided Ajax to two Eredivisie titles since his appointment in 2017.

And for now, it seems unlikely that Pochettino will be heading to Manchester as the Red Devils concentrate on getting their season back on track with their new man in the dugout.

• Ligue 1
• Mauricio Pochettino
• Manchester United FC
• Premier League
• Ralf Rangnick

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