Three options for Manchester United as Ralf Rangnick fails to impress at Old Trafford

There was a lot of excitement in the red half of Manchester when Ole Gunnar Solskjær was replaced at the Old Trafford helm by former Schalke and RB Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick — who was given the managerial role on an interim basis in November until the end of the season.

Dubbed the ‘Godfather’ of the modernised German game due to his mentoring of Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, as well as coming up with the tactical nous for the hugely popular ‘Gegenpressing’, it seemed to be an inspired appointment in the northwest of England.

However, just a couple of months into Rangnick’s short-term tenancy at the Theatre of Dreams and things are already beginning to turn sour. There are reported rifts in the star-studded dressing room, while it is also believed that the players are beginning to have doubts about the interim coach as they struggle to adapt to his methods.

It seems incredibly unlikely that Rangnick won’t see out the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign, but it’s beginning to look like any hope of being given the permanent role come the end of the season is quickly creeping out the window. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at three managerial options for Manchester United this summer…

Mauricio Pochettino

Often linked with a return to the Premier League, more specifically Manchester United, former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino is the heavy favourite to become the Red Devils’ next manager with top exchange bet sites. The Argentine replaced Tuchel at the Parc des Princes last January, but things haven’t exactly been rosy for Pochettino over the last 12 months. Yes, he won the Coupe de France, but the Champions League and even Ligue 1, which Paris Saint-Germain have won seven times in the last decade, slipped from his grasp.

PSG are well on track to regain their domestic crown this year, but if the sought-after Champion League eludes them once again, then Pochettino’s role could be in doubt. Not that it would matter much as he is reportedly very interested in the Man United job. The problem is, he would be leaving one difficult-to-manage dressing room for another!

Brendan Rodgers

Another name often thrown into the mix when talking about the Manchester United role is Brendan Rodgers. After a rather unsuccessful stint with Liverpool, the Northern Irishman rebuilt his reputation with a trophy-laden few years at Celtic before returning south of the border and taking over from Claude Puel at Leicester City.

Successive fifth-place finishes in his two full seasons with the Foxes, narrowly missing out on Champions League football on both occasions, is certainly not to be sniffed at, while he also guided the midlands outfit to their first FA Cup success last season — beating Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley. Things aren’t going quite as well for Leicester this season though, and should the wheels start to come off, Rodgers could be tempted by the Man United role.

Bruno Lage

There is nothing Wolverhampton Wanderers fans would hate more than to lose two managers to members of the ‘Big Six’ within just the space of 12 months, but as Bruno Lage continues to exceed expectations at Molineux, his odds of becoming the next Manchester United manager are quickly shortening. However, his Portuguese compatriot, Nuno Espírito Santo, is the perfect example that the grass isn’t always greener.

Lage didn’t get off to the best of starts in England, losing four of his first five Premier League games as he adjusted to life. But Wolves have been in fine form since, losing just three times in their last 14 games, while picking up points against Chelsea and Manchester United recently to climb up to eighth in the table. It is perhaps the manner in which Lage’s side outplayed Rangnick’s United in the 1-0 win at Old Trafford that has resulted in him being linked with the role! Who will be the next Red Devils’ manager?

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Mark Boardman

Mark Boardman is an established showbiz journalist and freelance copywriter whose work has been published in Business Insider, Daily Mail, Bloomberg, MTV, Buzzfeed, and The New York Post, amongst other media. Often spotted on the red carpet at celebrity events and film screenings, Mark is a regular guest on BBC Radio London and in demand for his opinions on media outlets such as Newsweek, Daily Express, and OK! Magazine, as well as Heart radio, Capital FM, LBC, and Radio 2. His TV credits include ITV News, This Morning, BBC News, The One Show, Sky News, GB News, and Channel T4. Mark is a keen traveller having visited 40+ countries, and a devout sports fan who also attends as many gigs as he can across the capital when not rubbing shoulders with the stars. Email Mark@MarkMeets.com