Tuchel 'open' to Man Utd pitch after being made No.1 manager target

Manchester United's stunning bid to prise Thomas Tuchel away from Chelsea has been given a major boost - with the Blues boss reportedly 'open' to hearing what United have to say amid the ongoing turmoil at Stamford Bridge.

Although Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag have been at the forefront of United's plans for the majority of the tedious process to source a permanent successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, things appear to have changed over the course of the past week.

The Mirror exclusively revealed earlier this week that the Old Trafford hierarchy had officially turned their attention to Tuchel. United are keen on pursuing a deal for the Blues chief in a bid to exploit the chaos currently plaguing Chelsea.

The Londoners are currently in limbo after Roman Abramovich was slapped with sanctions by the UK Government earlier this month. As a result, the club are now operating under a special license which prohibits them for selling tickets, partaking in contract negotiations and making any new signings.

United believe that could open the door for them to make a spectacular swoop for Tuchel - and a new report from The Athletic claims that there could be scope for them to do so. The report outlines that, although Tuchel has hinted he would stay on at the club under a new owner, some sources believe that he would be open to hearing United's 'pitch' in light of the current situation in west London.

The 48-year-old has made a stunning impact at Stamford Bridge since he succeeded Blues legend Frank Lampard back in January 2021; so much so that Chelsea would be loathe to lose the former Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund coach.

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The diligent German engineered Chelsea's stunning Champions League triumph back in May and guided them to a top-four finish last season. And despite a plethora of injuries, Tuchel has ensured the Londoners are in pole position to defend their European crown after cantering to a 4-1 aggregate win over French champions Lille to clinch a quarter-final spot.

His ability to turn around the Blues' floundering squad is unlikely to have been lost on the Old Trafford hierarchy, who have been forced to watch on as the club's pre-season ambitions of a sustained title bid have grimly evaporated over the course of the campaign.

Those traits, plus his exploits in Europe and his ability to handle a squad of large egos - which was evident during his time at PSG - have quickly made him the new standout candidate for the role. Both Pochettino and Ten Hag were dumped out of the Champions League in the last-16 phase - just liked United.

Tuchel undoubtedly possess the title-winning pedigree that used to be synonymous with Manchester United. However, it remains to be seen if United still possess the pull to lure one of Europe's finest coaches away from their Premier League rivals.

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