- Thomas Tuchel was linked with Man United before Erik ten Hag was sacked
- But Tuchel later signed a deal with the FA to become England boss next year
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Thomas Tuchel should have accepted an offer to replace Erik ten Hag as manager of Manchester United, according to agent Pini Zahavi.
Tuchel will start work as England boss in January after agreeing to succeed Gareth Southgate last month.
The German had been out of work since May when he left Bayern Munich after a trophy-less 14 months.
Although he failed to win any silverware with Bayern, Tuchel famously delivered three titles – including the UEFA Champions League – for Chelsea, where he was in charge from January 2021 to September 2022.
Tuchel was linked with a possible return to English club management over the summer when he was cited as a leading candidate for the United job.
Thomas Tuchel will begin work as England boss in January after accepting the job last month
He signed a deal to manage the England men’s national team until after the 2026 World Cup
Tuchel was previously touted as a possible successor to Erik ten Hag (pictured) at Man United
But United eventually decided to extend Ten Hag’s contract in July, only to sack him in October.
Israeli Zahavi has now suggested that Tuchel turned down the chance to take over at Old Trafford before Ten Hag’s deal was extended.
‘If I were Thomas, I would have gone to Manchester United. He had the opportunity. Everything was prepared, the deal was basically done,’ Zahavi – whose current clients include Christopher Nkunku, Robert Lewandowski and ex-United starlet Angel Gomes – told Die Welt.
Tuchel won 60 per cent of his 61 games with Bayern but oversaw the club’s first season without a trophy in over a decade.
Zahavi believes that Tuchel is an excellent manager.
However, he also thinks that he needs to improve his diplomacy skills, having engaged in arguments with the hierarchy at multiple former clubs.
‘Thomas has a spark of genius in him,’ Zahavi added.
‘But in today’s football you have to be wise and a diplomat. He will have to learn that.’
Pini Zahavi, pictured at the 2019 Ballon d’Or awards, thinks Tuchel should have gone to United
United will instead soon be managed by 39-year-old Ruben Amorim, who will start next week
Tuchel pictured last season giving instructions to Bayern’s English striker Harry Kane (left)
With Tuchel yet to start work with England, interim manager Lee Carsley picked and named the squad for this month’s Nations League games against Greece and Ireland.
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag’s replacement is due to begin life at Old Trafford on Monday.
Ruben Amorim has signed an initial two-and-a-half-year contract with United.
Amorim’s final game in charge of Sporting Lisbon is scheduled for this Sunday when the Portuguese Primeira Liga leaders visit Braga.
Since Amorim’s move to United was confirmed, he has overseen a 5-1 win over Estrela and a 4-1 victory over Manchester City.
