Manchester United had a chaotic 2024 summer when it came to the manager role, eventually sticking with Erik ten Hag.
After the club beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final, speculation grew over Ten Hag’s future, with Ineos reportedly considering several other options.
The Dutchman’s contract was extended, and he was backed with a £200m transfer window. But looking back, Ineos’ decision to keep him was not wise.
Four months into the season, Ten Hag was sacked, which led to a mid-season appointment of Ruben Amorim and what turned into United’s worst-ever Premier League campaign.
However, the club really sought to find a replacement during the summer transfer window.
Manchester United met Thomas Tuchel four times over manager appointment
Ineos clearly lacked confidence in Ten Hag, making his departure in the summer of 2024 seem inevitable. However, his contract was seemingly extended due to a failed recruitment drive.
The Daily Mail reported that even United chiefs admitted holding onto the Dutchman was a mistake.
Ineos had tried to bring in Thomas Tuchel as Ten Hag’s replacement, but the process reportedly fell apart due to poor handling from United’s end, according to sources close to Tuchel.
The club held four interviews with the German manager, who felt the questions were irrelevant. In the end, no offer was made.
One source described Ineos as scrambling for a replacement. Dan Ashworth had opposed Ruben Amorim’s appointment during the summer and ended up being sacked later in the autumn.
How Thomas Tuchel might have changed Manchester United’s path
If United had gone for Tuchel, his coaching background alone could have helped stabilise things and possibly pushed them back into the top four.
Given what he had achieved at previous clubs, there is reason to believe he could have got United into some form of title race. Adding to that, Marcus Rashford would likely have been central to those plans.
Tuchel has shown respect for club traditions before, notably at Chelsea and Bayern Munich. There is no reason to think he would not have done the same at Old Trafford.
It always seemed like a matter of time before Tuchel ended up in charge at Old Trafford. The door might still be open in the future, but bringing him in back then would almost certainly have put United on a better path than sticking with Ten Hag did.
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