Ralf Rangnick plays down Thomas Tuchel links but privately views Chelsea manager as contender for Manchester United job

Ralf Rangnick has played down speculation linking Thomas Tuchel to Manchester United but privately views the Chelsea manager as a contender for the Old Trafford job.

Tuchel’s future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain following the sanctions imposed on Blues owner Roman Abramovich.

While the German boss has said he will carry on as Chelsea manager, that decision could be taken out of his hands amid the turmoil at the club.

Tuchel has won the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup since taking over at Chelsea in January 2021, and is now regarded as one of the best managers in world football.

Following the UK Government’s announcement that Abramovich had been sanctioned and his assets frozen, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher urged Manchester United to poach Tuchel.

United are set to appoint a new permanent manager at the end of the season and have been heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax’s Erik ten Hag.

But Carragher believes United have an ‘ideal opportunity’ to bring ‘world-class’ Tuchel to Old Trafford and this is a feeling shared by interim manager Rangnick, according to the Daily Mail.

While Rangnick, who took charge of the side following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking in November, was reluctant to speculate over the prospect of a move for Tuchel at his pre-match press conference on Friday, he is said to privately view the former PSG and Borussia Dortmund boss as an interesting candidate for the vacant job.

It appeared as though United were giving serious thought to appointing Rangnick after an encouraging start to his interim spell at Old Trafford, but results and performances have fallen away in recent weeks and the German now looks set to move into a consultancy role at the club