Manchester United had announced on Tuesday, December 18 that they were parting ways with manager Jose Mourinho with immediate effect. This move has led to numerous speculations regarding the next managerial appointment at the club and there are a few interesting names that pop up.
The official statement on the club's website read, "The club would like to thank Jose Mourinho for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future."
"A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."
Rumours have emerged that former Manchester United striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will take over the reins till the end of the season after which a permanent manager will be appointed. Solskjaer is a United legend having won 12 trophies in 11 years and had also scored the winner in the 1999 Champions League final.
So, here are the 5 managers who could be the next manager at Old Trafford:
Mauricio Pochettino
He wins football games. He plays an exciting and attacking brand of football. He promotes youth. These are the three things Manchester United has stood for since time immemorial. Pochettino has done a remarkable job at Tottenham with a net expenditure of only £50 million.
The Spurs manager likes to build a long-term project and fits the traditional United philosophy that the club has so proudly propagated through the likes of Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson. The only downside to his management is that the Argentine is yet to win a trophy.
Antonio Conte
He is a free agent and a proven entity having won league titles with Juventus and Chelsea. Although his time at Stamford Bridge ended prematurely, he got one over Mourinho and Manchester United in his final game by winning the FA Cup. Conte's style of football may not be what the United fans want to see but at the moment, they will trade style for success.
Leonardo Jardim
The former Monaco manager will certainly bring loads of excitement to Old Trafford. He has a high intensity, attacking style of play that saw the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy burst onto the scene. Under Jardim, Monaco won their first league title in 17 years stalling the financially-backed PSG. An argument against him is that he left his side in a relegation battle but given the players he constantly lost to other clubs, he cannot be blamed for the outcome.
Zinedine Zidane
The former Real Madrid manager is the bookies' favourite to take over full-time at United. Zidane is a manager of limited experience but boasts three back-to-back Champions League trophies and is the only manager in history to achieve this feat.
In his time at Madrid, questions were raised over his tactical acumen and it was believed that he won the trophies because of the players at his disposal. But Zidane fits the recent trend at United. He is a massive source of commercial meat and is a superstar appointment. It remains to be seen whether Ed Woodward does what the bookies think he will.
Laurent Blanc
Blanc is a former Manchester United player and a good friend of former United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson. Blanc has been away from management for two years and this job could be his return ticket to the dugout of a football club.
Blanc is a former PSG manager having won 11 domestic trophies in 3 years in France. He plays possession-based football that is dependent on quick passing and sharp movement. He is an exciting option for United as while in charge of the French national team, he oversaw the rebuilding process following the debacle of World Cup 2010.
