Mauricio Pochettino “wants” to become Manchester United manager in the summer

Manchester United are looking for a new permanent manager

The club appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim manager until the end of the season, replacing Jose Mourinho who was sacked on Tuesday morning. United are said to have made Mauricio Pochettino their first-choice to be the club's next permanent manager. And a report in The Times claims that the Tottenham coach is interested in taking the role at Old Trafford at the end of the current season. According to the report:

• Pochettino is "keen" to become Mourinho's permanent successor at Old Trafford.
• He is convinced that he can have an "immediate positive impact" at United if the club back him in the transfer market.
• Pochettino has a good working relationship with Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman, and feels attached to the club.
• However, he is frustrated over the financial restrictions at Spurs, their lack of activity in the transfer market, the strict wage budget and the failure to offload players he longer wants at the club.
• Pochettino signed a new five-year deal with Tottenham last summer. If United are to land him, they would have to pay off the entire contract and pay Spurs £34m.
• The report claims that if United cannot land Pochettino, they will try to appoint Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone.
• Zinedine Zidane is considered a "riskier" appointment.

However, even if Pochettino wants to become United manager and the club are willing to appoint him, it won't be an easy process. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is a notoriously tough operator. Alex Ferguson once compared negotiating with him to the pain of hip surgery.