Paris Saint-Germain's bid to save themselves the £17million it will cost to sack Mauricio Pochettino could damage the Argentine’s hopes of becoming manager of Manchester United.
PSG know that Pochettino is on United’s wish-list - and that the former Tottenham boss would welcome a move back to the Premier League at the end of the season after a miserable 18 months in France. But the Parisians would prefer the 50-year-old to walk out rather than wield the axe themselves - because it would save them a fortune in compensation.
PSG would then also be able to demand a pay-off from United should the Argentine move to Old Trafford. Pochettino is under huge pressure after PSG’s Champions League collapse at Real Madrid - and the former Tottenham boss is on United’s shortlist to take over at Old Trafford. Stars like Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were powerless to prevent a 3-2 aggregate loss.
But it will cost the French champions £11million in compensation to sack him - and another £6m to pay-up the four members of the backroom staff he took to Paris when he was appointed by the club on an 18-month contract in January 2021.
Pochettino and Ajax coach Erik ten Hag are at the top of United’s wanted list - and Mirror Football revealed earlier this month that the Dutchman is their No 1 choice. Both men are under contract - meaning United would have to pay compensation.
But Old Trafford bosses will be reluctant to pay PSG a penny when they know they would get Pochettino for nothing if he is sacked. The 50-year-old has Jesus Perez as his assistant. Miguel D’Agostino and Toni Jiminez are also on his backroom staff as well as Pochettino’s son, Sebastian.
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It would cost PSG another £6m to pay them up should there be another change of manager, according to respected French magazine L’Equipe. United have targeted Ten Hag following the Dutchman’s impressive spell at Ajax.
The Amsterdam club also suffered a shock Champions League exit, when they were beaten at home by Benfica with a quarter-final place beckoning. But they remain on course to win their third successive Dutch title - and Ten Hag has built a reputation for recruiting and developing young talent.
Former United keeper Edwin van der Sar is Ajax’s chief executive and will not stand in Ten Hag’s way if the Dutchman asks to move to Manchester. A compensation package with Ajax could be less than £5m.
But United’s most pressing issue is time. They want to give the new manager as long as possible to get to grips with the task of rebuilding the squad he will inherit. Next season’s Premier League will kick-off earlier than usual, on August 6, because the World Cup in Qatar has to be fitted into the football schedule next winter.
