HOW MAN UTD COULD LINE UP UNDER THOMAS TUCHEL WITH THREE NEW SIGNINGS AND SEVEN PLAYERS AXED

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is under mounting pressure in the Old Trafford hot seat and speculation over his potential sacking continues to linger.

Were those above him in the United hierarchy to pull the trigger and part ways, the rumour mill has tipped Thomas Tuchel to be named as his successor. The German coach will be out of work in the summer, as he has already confirmed he will be leaving his current club Bayern Munich at the end of the campaign.

Ten Hag still has one more year to run on his current contract, but there are doubts over whether the Dutchman will see out the entirety of his deal. Kicker reports that United's new head of football operations Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already made contact with the former Chelsea boss and is keen on bringing him to Manchester.

If Tuchel does take over, it is almost a certainty that the 2021 Champions League winner will make some big changes, starting with the playing staff. A fair amount of United's current crop would expect to get the boot, including big-name stars like Casemiro and Antony.

Both of the aforementioned duo were brought in for big money and have ultimately failed to deliver. Antony in particular has spent the overwhelming majority of his United career underwhelming and Tuchel would surely look to cash in and find new talent.

Christian Eriksen isn't out of contract until the summer of next year, but Tuchel is likely to want a younger model pulling the strings in midfield alongside captain Bruno Fernandes. Another former Real Madrid man, Raphael Varane is also likely to make way after a disappointing season that has seen him be dropped on more than one occasion.

Ten Hag has already confirmed that Anthony Martial will leave at the end of the season, so that's one departure Tuchel wouldn't have to spend too much time fretting about. Sofyan Amrabat's loan spell will almost certainly not turn into a permanent stay, with the Morocco international failing to hit the heights expected of him.

The most shocking exit could be none other than Marcus Rashford. The England international has looked way off the pace this term in comparison to last season and has been the subject of rumours linking him with a move to French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

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As for incomings, there are several players the German could look to sign. United's midfield is a huge problem area and given it is likely Tuchel culls Casemiro, a new body in the middle of the park will be required. OGC Nice ace Khephren Thuram has plenty of admirers in the Premier League, including the Red Devils, who could look to sign him on the cheap considering he is out of contract next year.

Girona star Miguel Gutierrez could be an appealing option for Tuchel at left-back, considering both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have had to deal with regular injury issues. However, this transfer could prove tricky considering Real Madrid have a buy-back clause inserted into the defender's Girona contract.

And at centre-back, Tuchel may look to pry Bayer Leverkusen ace Edmond Tapsoba away from the recently crowned Bundesliga champions. Despite his success at club level, Tapsoba is reportedly keen on testing himself in the Premier League and a move to Old Trafford guarantees game time for one of the biggest clubs on the planet.

Tuchel may even look to reintegrate Jadon Sancho back into the first-team fold given the current Borussia Dortmund loanee looks like he is loving life again at Signal Iduna Park. He didn't see eye to eye with Erik ten Hag but may welcome the chance to have a second chance at a career at United under a different boss.

Potential United XI under Tuchel (4-2-3-1): Onana; Dalot, Tapsoba, Martinez, Gutierrez; Mainoo, Thuram; Sancho, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund.

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2024-04-22T11:12:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd