Mauricio Pochettino has just told Manchester United whether he'd replace Ralf Rangnick

It felt like the Harlem Globetrotters had arrived in Paris in August when Paris Saint-Germain unveiled their five new summer signings, Lionel Messi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi and Gini Wijnaldum, ahead of the new season.

It has been impossible to warm to PSG across the last decade. The Qatar state-owned club have bought their way into the European elite with incessant wealth from questionable sources and their latest spending spree was their most brazen transfer window yet, but money doesn't guarantee success. It needs to be spent in a shrewd manner and Manchester United know that all too well.

There have been 218 days since those five new signings, including seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, were unveiled on the Parc des Princes pitch and the mood at the club has turned toxic. PSG beat Bordeaux 3-0 last weekend but the players were booed by supporters. PSG had been knocked out of the Champions League days before and even Messi was not exempt from the anger.

ALSO READ: Erik ten Hag lifts lid on Sir Alex Ferguson chat amid Man Utd links

Real Madrid's win over PSG in the last-16 would have been closely followed by those in the Old Trafford board room. Pochettino has long had admirers at United and he's a candidate under consideration to permanently replace Ralf Rangnick at the club.

Pochettino was quizzed on his future in his pre-match press conference on Friday and he placed the power in PSG's hands. "We will analyse everything at the end of the season," he said. "We will see at the end of the season. It will be the club’s decision.”

Erik ten Hag is understood to be the other leading candidate and there is a degree of irony that both Pochettino and Ten Hag were knocked out of the Champions