Manchester United have swiftly moved to quash rumors suggesting that the club had reached an agreement with newly-appointed England manager Thomas Tuchel, following his appointment as the successor to Gareth Southgate on Wednesday.
Tuchel, who becomes the third non-British head coach of the national team, had been strongly linked with a potential move to Old Trafford amid United’s ongoing struggles under Erik ten Hag. Speculation mounted that Tuchel was in line to replace the Dutchman, especially after reports surfaced claiming the German had verbally agreed to take over at United.
These rumors gained traction following Manchester United’s worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign, with the club reportedly holding a meeting last week to discuss Ten Hag’s future. Tuchel, who had previously been interviewed by the club last summer, was seen as the frontrunner to step in if United decided to part ways with their current manager.
However, Manchester United have strongly denied these claims, with the *Manchester Evening News* reporting that the club had no intention of appointing Tuchel and that no agreement had ever been reached.
United had instead opted to extend Ten Hag’s contract by an additional year this past summer, reshaping his backroom staff in the process. Despite the mounting pressure and ongoing struggles, the club’s executives appear determined to give the Dutchman more time to turn things around.
With Ten Hag still at the helm, he is expected to lead United in their next fixture against Brentford at Old Trafford. Anything less than a victory, however, could intensify calls for a managerial change, even as the United board remains eager to back the former Ajax boss through this turbulent period.