‘Sir Jim Ratcliffe has one clear favourite’ Man Utd manager target – journalist | OneFootball

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe would love to appoint former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino as their manager, according to journalist Rudy Galetti, although sources have told TEAMtalk that a current Premier League boss is the favourite at the moment.

The hunt for a new manager for Man Utd is on, after Amorim was relieved of his role at Old Trafford after just 14 months in charge. Man Utd took the decision after Amorim fell out with the club’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, as revealed by our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey.

Bailey has reported that Man Utd have already been in touch with Enzo Maresca’s camp, with the Italian manager having parted company with Chelsea on New Year’s Day and is interested in talking over at Old Trafford.

Our transfer insider, Fraser Fletcher, has reported that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is a candidate to replace Amorim in the Man Utd hotseat, and so is Unai Emery, who is in charge of Aston Villa at the moment.

We understand that, like Maresca, Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi, too, is ready to take charge of Man Utd at the end of the season.

A new name has now emerged, with ESPN reporting that Mauricio Pochettino is a manager that Man Utd are considering.

The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager is now in charge of the USA and has been linked with United before.

Indeed, the Red Devils strongly considered hiring Pochettino before they settled on Erik ten Hag back in 2022.

Italian journalist and occasional TEAMtalk contributor Rudy Galetti has reported that Man Utd co-owner Ratcliffe would personally like the Argentine boss to become the club’s next manager.

Galetti wrote on X at 12:08am on January 6: “EXCL | As the new Man United head coach, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has one clear favourite: Pochettino.

“An UNLIKELY option, as the Argentine is fully focused on the WC with the USA – and for this reason other profiles are being evaluated – but Mauricio remains his preferred.”

Oliver Glasner ‘the clear favourite’ for Man Utd – sources

While Ratcliffe may fancy Pochettino, we understand that the Man Utd co-owner will not not have the final say.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that while Ratcliffe and CEO Omar Berrada will be part of the process of hiring the next Man Utd manager, the final decision will be Wilcox’s.

Our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, has reported that Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is ‘emerging as the clear favourite’ for the Man Utd manager’s role.

Sources have told us that the Man Utd hierarchy, including Berrada and Wilcox, have been hugely impressed with Glasner, who won the FA Cup with Palace last season.

The Austrian will leave Palace at the end of the season, so Man Utd will not have to pay any compensation for him.

Glasner has turned down multiple contract offers from Palace, as he seeks to undertake a bigger challenge and is aware of interest from Man Utd.

We understand that even before Amorim was sacked, Glasner was made aware that he was on Man Utd’s shortlist of managerial candidates for the summer of 2026.

Darren Fletcher will be in charge of the Man Utd first team for Wednesday’s Premier League game against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Man Utd’s plan is to appoint an interim manager until the end of the season and then hire a permanent successor to Amorim in the summer of 2026.

Meanwhile, sources have told us Joshua Zirkzee’s latest stance on his Man Utd future following the departure of Ruben Amorim as the manager.

On the subject of a new manager, club legend Paul Scholes has named the ‘number one’ manager Man Utd should appoint.

However, the removal of Amorim as boss has not gone down well with everyone and the Portuguese media have not taken the news well, while also making a ‘serious’ claim about an influential Old Trafford figure.