90min

Manchester United Make Contact With Mauricio Pochettino - Representatives Refuse to Comment on Links

By Jamie Spencer

Man Utd are in touch with Mauricio Pochettino
Man Utd are in touch with Mauricio Pochettino / IAN KINGTON/Getty Images
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Manchester United have made contact with representatives of former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino with a view to potentially replacing current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Despite a generally positive end to last season during ‘Project Restart’, Solskjaer has overseen a dreadful start to the 2020/21 campaign. United have won just two of their six Premier League games so far and sit 15th in the table, while Wednesday night’s defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League further highlighted existing concerns over tactical limitations.

Solskjaer is under growing pressure at Old Trafford
Solskjaer is under growing pressure at Old Trafford / Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Pochettino has long been linked with the Old Trafford job and 90min revealed in early October that lines of communications between the United hierarchy and the Argentine’s camp have never been closed, with the club still ultimately keen to appoint him.

90min now understands there has been fresh contact between United officials and Pochettino's representatives.

Earlier reports suggested there had been an 'approach' from Old Trafford club, perceived as a more formal step in the process, but Pochettino's camp have expressed surprise over such stories that have emerged and have refused to comment otherwise - respecting that there is already a manager in place.

The Manchester Evening News has reported the United hierarchy were still privately backing Solskjaer ahead of the loss in Istanbul and there is a reluctance to sack him. But a Premier League clash against Everton on Saturday now provides a huge test for the Norwegian given that the November international break is looming and would be an opportunity to make the change.

Pochettino spoke recently about returning to management
Pochettino spoke recently about returning to management / Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images

Pochettino has been out of work since he was sacked by Spurs last November and was open to a return to Premier League management when he spoke about his future earlier this week.

“I'm not going to close any door and I am waiting to feel what is the right project for us, which is the right way to take,” he explained while a guest pundit on Sky Sports.

“My energy is full. I'd love to be involved in the game but at the same time I need to understand that you need to wait [for the right moment]. You need to wait for the right project and for sure football is going to bring what football wants and we need to be open and to accept or not.”

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