Mauricio Pochettino has reiterated his ‘commitment’ to PSG and refused to comment on speculation he wanted to join Manchester United before Erik ten Hag’s appointment at the club.
Both Pochettino and Ten Hag were interviewed for the role, with the Premier League side going for Ten Hag and appointing the Dutchman on a three-year deal.
Ten Hag will take over from Ralf Rangnick at the end of the campaign, having guided Ajax to two Eredivisie titles since joining the club in 2017, with another in the pipeline.
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Pochettino has long been linked with a move to United and the club legends Sir Alex Ferguson, Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville are all admirers of the Argentine, who managed in England with Tottenham and Southampton before he joined PSG.
Speaking to the press for the first time since Ten Hag’s appointment, Pochettino was asked whether United’s announcement allowed him to focus on PSG, who could win the Ligue 1 title this weekend.
‘All the rumours throughout my football career have never really affected me, I don’t comment on rumours eithers,’ Pochettino said.
‘When I have been in charge of Southampton, Tottenham and now PSG, I have always been fully committed.
‘Rumours are rumours, we don’t need to pay attention to them now. We know they exist and they are generated on a daily basis. ‘As always, we are focussed on our job at the club.’
Pochettino earned many admirers during his spells with Southampton and Spurs but PSG’s recent shortcomings ‘cost’ him United job, according to Gary Neville.
Paris Saint-Germain failed to win the domestic league title last campaign while they were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League before the quarter-finals this month.
When asked to explain why United overlooked Pochettino, Neville told Sky Sports: ‘I think ultimately Pochettino has been the outstanding choice for a number of years. Losing in the Champions League this season, not winning the league in France last year…
‘Let’s be clear, PSG is not an easy club to manage. [Chelsea manager] Thomas Tuchel had problems over there. Tuchel wasn’t the statesmanlike like figure he has been at Chelsea at PSG.
‘So I think purely what has happened with Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint-Germain has cost him.
‘He’s got great experience of the Premier League, he did a brilliant job at Southampton and Tottenham.
‘But the current mood is absolutely key and Ten Hag is the man of the moment. Look, United have spoken to both of them and the club have determined that Erik ten Hag is the right man to take the club forward.’
