Chelsea point, Jose Mourinho blueprint - Thomas Tuchel to Man Utd verdict if Erik ten Hag sacked

Thomas Tuchel used to be a Chelsea favourite but could soon swap blue for red as he is being linked with the Man Utd job - but should he return to the Premier League?

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is being lined up by Manchester United as a potential replacement for Erik ten Hag.

The German joined Chelsea in January 2021 and led the Blues to two cup finals in his first season. While Chelsea lost the FA Cup final to Leicester under Tuchel's leadership, they were victorious in the Champions League as they beat Manchester City 1-0 at the Estadio do Dragao.

Tuchel also guided Chelsea to two finals in his first full season at Stamford Bridge, although he lost both the Carabao Cup final and FA Cup final to Liverpool on penalties. He oversaw the club during the troublesome period when Roman Abramovich's assets were frozen by the UK government, which meant the club could not buy or sell players, offer players new contracts or sell any merchandise or additional tickets.

Abramovich sold Chelsea to the Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital consortium in a £2.5billion deal and Tuchel was sacked just a few months later, with the former Bayern Munich boss struggling to get along with the new hierarchy. Tuchel may soon return to the Premier League, however, as boss of Man Utd.

Ten Hag is under extreme pressure at Old Trafford and Manchester Evening News understands Tuchel is admired by United officials. Tuchel was of interest to Man Utd chiefs in the summer but ultimately Ten Hag kept his job, although further meetings are planned in the coming days and the future is far from certain.

So, should Man Utd sack Ten Hag and replace the Dutchman with Tuchel? Should the former Chelsea boss return to the Premier League and manage one of his old side's rivals? football.london's writers have their say, below!

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Sam Truelove

Thomas Tuchel has been out of work since the end of the 2023/24 season. The German is a high profile manager who has won Ligue 1, Bundesliga and Champions League. He has also won multiple individual awards such as UEFA Manager of the Year and World's Best Club Coach.

While Tuchel is out of work, he will always be linked with the biggest jobs. He is an elite manager. Personally, I feel like he did a great job at Chelsea and although it did turn sour in the end, he was rather unfortunate with the timing of the takeover. He lost three cup finals during his time as Blues boss so he could have won much more than the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

In my book he deserves another chance in the Premier League. It's just whether Manchester United is the right club. It's clear something needs to change at Old Trafford and if Tuchel feels he is the person to do that, he should be given the chance. Ten Hag has had his chance and failed so give Tuchel a go.

Yes his previous Chelsea connections may raise a few eyebrows but he's professional enough to do a job and Man Utd fans are smart enough to realise he's a world class coach. This is definitely one to watch.

Jake Stokes

So long as Thomas Tuchel remains respectful towards Chelsea, he has every right to go to Manchester United. In an ideal world, of course, the German doesn't join a Premier League rival, but he's a top manager so, naturally, he'll always have top clubs chasing his signature.

Tuchel needs a high-profile job to put his name back on the map, meanwhile, the Red Devils need to show that they can still compete at the highest level. Just like he did at Stamford Bridge, the former Blues boss would immediately improve Manchester United from a tactical perspective.

They've looked lost for ideas under Erik ten Hag. Pushovers. Weak. Under Tuchel, they'll have an identity and a purpose again – which is exactly what the club needs. Short-term, I have no doubt that he'll bring short-term success. However, I do worry that he may not be the perfect long-term option for United.

He has a history of clashing with higher-ups, so Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth must be prepared to fight fire with fire. That being said, if it does end in tears, Tuchel will still leave the club in a better spot compared to where it is now.

Rob Guest

Manchester United would be daft not to consider Thomas Tuchel for the Old Trafford hotseat if Erik ten Hag is to leave his position sooner rather than later. The Red Devils are going backwards and it probably won't be too long until a change is made if their current run of form continues in the weeks ahead.

In terms of someone who can come in and make an immediate impact at the club and also see a huge improvement on the pitch, Tuchel is the man. The German has always guided his teams to silverware and he does have the qualities to lead Manchester United back to their previous heights.

It may all depend on United's vision for the future, though, as Tuchel is someone who has previously only stayed a few seasons with a club apart from when he was Mainz manager from August 2009 until May 2014. Whether it is United or somewhere else later down the line, Tuchel will be back in the Premier League one day because he is a very good manager and he is always mentioned in regards to the top jobs.

Of course some Chelsea fans may not wish to see Tuchel head to Old Trafford but I don't see an issue if he is become Manchester United boss. After all, we've seen former Chelsea managers head to rival clubs in the past, notably Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Isaac Johnson

It didn't stop Jose Mourinho did it! I don't think the thought of his previous links to Chelsea even comes into Tuchel's mind when considering a move to Manchester United.

What will be on the brain is the hierarchical set-up at Old Trafford. Reports in Germany suggested he walked away from managerial talks with the club over the summer due to the transfer structure in place.

This is not going to change any time soon and could prove a sticking point in negotiations - as it did at Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich. But if compromises can be reached then Chelsea suddenly have a much stronger top-four rival.

Tom Doyle

Football management is a cut-throat business at any level, so expecting a manager to turn down one of the biggest jobs in the game because he managed one of their rivals for 20 months (and not even a local rival at that) is bordering on the absurd. If Chelsea can loan Raheem Sterling to Arsenal and then loan Jadon Sancho from United in return, what's the big deal?

Tuchel won the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup before it all ended in tears not long after Todd Boehly's takeover. The German also left with the fourth highest win-off of any manager who has coached more than 100 games for the Blues - only bettered by Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Carlo Ancelotti. It may have ended abruptly, but Tuchel made Chelsea European and world champions.

You could understand the unease were Tuchel to suddenly rock up at Arsenal or Spurs, but to suggest he should not take another plum job in the Premier League because of time served at the Bridge would not only be unrealistic; it would be a disservice to what he achieved at Chelsea in spite of the situation the club found itself in both when he arrived, and when he exited.

Chelsea's main concern will be that if Tuchel does replace ten Hag and get United heading in the right direction, they will likely be one of the Blues' main rivals for a top-four finish. By the same token, if Sancho's goals and assists mean Chelsea are above United come May then there won't be much talk about respecting rivalries.

Stephen Killen

You can't help but feel like Thomas Tuchel is one of the few viable options for Manchester United at this stage. Are they in a state of crisis? Maybe not, but their decline has steadily continued and what looked to be stability under Erik ten Hag has now vanished.

Tuchel is Premier League experienced and a European Cup winner. Loyalty in football has long gone, I'm afraid so we could very well see another follow in the footsteps of Jose Mourinho to be in the hotseat of both Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford.

The German has a point to prove too. He unceremoniously lost his job with the Blues and reports out of Bavaria since his departure have been far from flattering.

He has been consistently been linked with the Old Trafford post and with the Red Devils languishing in 14th, closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League places, there will likely be a reinforced cushion of security as he would inherit a struggling Manchester United side.

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