Tuchel extends contract with England team, reasons for not coaching Manchester United revealed! Sir Jim still has eight major options

One of the rumored candidates for Manchester United's permanent managerial position this summer, Tuchel, rejected this possibility remotely before the World Cup. He announced his contract extension with the FA until 2028 and will lead the team in the next European Championship held in the UK. The FA was indeed worried about United poaching him, so they quickly agreed to the renewal deal. Tuchel stated that the extension helps the England team focus on preparations and that he has no plans to return to club-level coaching.

“I'm not sure if the FA was worried,” Tuchel explained, “there really was no need to be concerned because during the World Cup qualifiers I was fully focused on the matches. Negotiations began immediately after the qualifiers ended. I always wanted to extend my contract, and the FA shared the same view. There was no negotiation needed, nor any alternatives. The whole process was very simple and straightforward. We did this not just to keep calm during the World Cup, but that was indeed an unexpected benefit. Now everything is clear, and clarity is always good; we won’t be distracted. I might consider returning to club football, but not within the next two and a half years.”

When asked if he had negotiations with Manchester United or other clubs, Tuchel said, “That’s a secret. But after November, I was determined to stay, and the FA felt the same. We all want to compete for every trophy, and our ideas are highly aligned. For a coach, this is the most satisfying feeling.”

In fact, Tuchel coaching Manchester United might never have happened from the start, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe twice rejected him in 2024. That summer, Sir Jim planned to sack Ten Hag; by autumn, he was ready to replace the coach again and eventually did fire Ten Hag. However, both times he let Tuchel down.

At the end of the 2023/24 season, Tuchel left his managerial role at Bayern Munich. The German coach had praised Manchester United’s performance during their Champions League clash. However, after multiple negotiations with Sir Jim and his confidant Sir Dave Bresford, he was dissatisfied with United’s operational process.

At that time, Manchester United lacked football-savvy management. New CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth were both on gardening leave. Jason Wilcox was technical director but had no authority over the hiring or firing of the head coach. Sir Jim said he left football matters to Berrada and Ashworth, but before they arrived, United had to decide Ten Hag’s fate.

United originally planned to part ways with Ten Hag after the season, but after the team surprisingly defeated Manchester City to win the FA Cup, fans demanded the coach stay, and Sir Jim compromised. Subsequently, United spent heavily on transfers, resulting in the worst league performance in 51 years. Ten Hag was dismissed, and Sir Dave left the club to return to his familiar cycling field.

At this point, Manchester United reconsidered hiring Tuchel, but it was all talk and no action. Ultimately, Tuchel chose the faster-moving FA and became England’s third foreign head coach. It is said that United’s main reason for not choosing Tuchel was concern over his demands to change the current club power structure.

At Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, Tuchel was dissatisfied with the clubs’ transfer dealings. Sir Jim and now-powerful Wilcox both prefer a quiet, low-profile coach who doesn’t vie for power, like Carrick, who was recently named Premier League Manager of the Month in February.

After the World Cup, many coaches are expected to be dismissed and become free agents available for hire. However, with the final on July 19, Manchester United likely cannot wait for top coaches from strong teams to be sacked before deciding on a new manager, as less than a month remains before the new season starts — too short for recruitment and preparation.

Among these coaches, Carlo Ancelotti is the most desired candidate for many Manchester United fans. His contract with Brazil ends after the World Cup. As a coach who led Chelsea to a Premier League title and won the Champions League with AC Milan and Real Madrid, his ability is unquestionable, especially in managing world-class stars.

However, United worries that their current level is closer to Everton’s, and Ancelotti’s record at Goodison Park was not ideal. Moreover, the 66-year-old Italian is considered by Sir Jim to be too old to lead a rebuilding project.

Similar coaches include Mauricio Pochettino of the US national team and Julian Nagelsmann from Germany. At the club level, many renowned coaches are already or soon to be unemployed, such as former Barcelona coach Xavi, former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, ex-Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi, Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner, and Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola, with the last two contracts expiring this summer and not being renewed.

In Manchester United’s eyes, each of these coaches has their own flaws. Of course, this concern is unnecessary because no coach is perfect. Even the world’s best coach, Guardiola, is suspected of only succeeding with super-strong teams.

Essentially, this stems from the United management doubting their own capability, fearing they cannot meet the demands of these top-tier coaches. They want a coach they can control during tenure and hold responsible when dismissed.

Manchester United fans also dream of acquiring Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique, who has won the Champions League with both Barcelona and PSG and speaks English. However, the 55-year-old Enrique’s contract expires next year, and his departure from Parc des Princes remains mere speculation. Additionally, in United’s senior management’s view, Enrique’s unsuccessful spell at Roma makes him not 100% suitable as head coach.