Rio Ferdinand has his reservations that heavily-linked Mauricio Pochettino would take the vacant managerial position at Manchester United this season because “he’s a man of integrity” and will want to honour his position at PSG.
The search for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s successor has begun after the Norwegian was relieved of his duties following a sobering 4-1 loss to Watford at the weekend, which was the club’s fourth Premier League defeat in five games, leaving the club eighth in the table.
A host of names are being touted for the Old Trafford hotseat, among those include Zinedine Zidane, Brendan Rodgers and Erik ten Hag, as well as former Tottenham manager and current PSG boss Pochettino, who remains the favourite among bookies.
In the meantime, Solskjaer’s former coach Michael Carrick has stepped up and will take the reins as caretaker manager. But long term, Ferdinand believes Pochettino is the man for the job, though he did suggest the Argentine will not want to part with PSG now, but wait until the summer.
“I don’t think that Pochettino leaves PSG during the season,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with FIVE YouTube channel. “He’s a man of integrity, he’s a man of respect.
“I think he’s grateful for the opportunity to be at PSG and as a man, I think he’ll just say: ‘If they want me that bad they’ll wait’.
“I think from the media that we saw over the last couple of years when he was out of work, that for him Man United is the pinnacle, it’s the club he’d love to get to, get his hands on and guide the club.
“He’s got a lot of stuff going on at PSG so you have to be respectful in that sense.
“It’s about what PSG want as well because they’re not the kind of club that will just relinquish their manager.
“I’m putting money on Pochettino, for the end of the season, start of next season, my money’s on Pochettino being manager.”
Ferdinand also gave a rather left field suggestion when discussing the current situation of Man Utd’s interim position, believing former assistant manager Carlos Queiroz would drop his duties as Egypt head coach to stabilise the Red Devils for the next six or so months.
“What about Carlos Queiroz?” Ferdinand put forward. “I think if Man United come calling for someone like Carlos Queiroz, he drops whatever he’s doing.”