It will be extremely difficult to get him
Manchester United are looking for a new manager. On Tuesday morning, they finally took the decision to sack Jose Mourinho, ending his tenure after two and a half years.
United are experiencing their worst start to a season in 28 years. Yes, even worse than David Moyes' reign of terror.
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The club have the Premier League's largest wage bill but are stuck in sixth place. They're currently 11 points behind Chelsea in fourth place and appear extremely unlikely to qualify for the Champions League.
Following Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool, Mourinho's last game in charge, United are 19 points behind their bitter rivals. In addition to the poor results, Mourinho's team have played dreadfully, devoid of any flair or attacking intent.
The former Chelsea coach has also cut a frustrated figure in recent months, taking aim at the club for not backing him in the summer transfer market. He has also criticised some figures within the dressing room. There was no other option but to remove him from his post.
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United are set to appoint a caretaker manager until the end of the season. They will then appoint a permanent manager.
Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane appear to be the most likely candidates for the role. Zidane is out of work after leaving Real Madrid last summer and Pochettino is Tottenham manager.
If the Argentine wants to become United manager, and there is no suggestion so far that he wants to leave Spurs, then it will be a very complicated process.
Pochettino signed a new five-year contract with Tottenham last summer and many of the club's stars have also signed up for long-term deals.
Tottenham are about to move into the revamped White Hart Lane and the club's chairman, Daniel Levy, is a notoriously tough operator. Alex Ferguson once compared negotiating with Levy to the pain of hip surgery.
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United will have a tough task on their hands to first convince Pochettino to give up everything he has at Spurs, and then to convince the Tottenham board to part ways with the Argentine.
According to a report in
The Times, they will have to pay off Pochettino's contract with Spurs to land him. So, it would cost United £34 million to get him out of that deal.
But considering they've spent over £50m on Fred, a midfielder who wasn't even in the squad for United's trip to Anfield on Sunday, it could be a small price to pay in the long-run.
The report also states that Spurs will not entertain any approach for their manager. Pochettino would have to force his way out of the club, as he there is no release clause in his contract.
However, sources at the club don't expect this happen. Pochettino is said to feel "settled" at Spurs.
