Happy international break everybody! Manchester United, fighting for their lives in the race for top four, are off until Saturday April 2, when they’ll host Leicester City in Premier League competition.
After all, it’s the only competition in which United is still alive. Today we focus on the manager search, in which Erik ten Hag of Ajax is reportedly the front-runner, having already had a productive and beneficial interview.
Also up for the gig is Paris Saint-Germain head man Mauricio Pochettino, who might not be available until the end of the season.
According to ESPN’s Mark Ogden, PSG are hoping another club will pay Pochettino’s compensation, instead of their having to sack him and then have to pay for his exit clause themselves. Because after all, when you’re owned by the nation of Qatar, the money doesn’t just grow on trees (sarcasm font).
Even though they were fine with turning down money for Kylian Mbappe, and will now let him walk for free in the summer.
Anyway, Pochettino is now at the center of a stand-off between United and PSG, according to the report in the ESPN.
United have been linked with Pochettino in the past, and for those United supporters who are against his hiring, it appears you might get your wish, as the Glazers could be reluctant to pay the extra money that it would take him to prise him away.
Finally, Bruno Fernandes, the Portugese magnifico, is on the verge of signing a five-year contract extension. The Daily Post Nigeria, via the BBC, has lot more on that, over at this link.
It will be interesting to see what Bruno can really do once Paul Pogba is out of the way, as they kind of bring the same things to the table more of less. Pogba has made it clear that he’s on his way out, so now we’ll see maybe the best of Bruno next season.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.