It has been suggested an exchange of managers could be on the cards between two of of Europe's biggest clubs, which would make a lot of sense
Manchester United and Bayern Munich have quite a lot in common right now. The 2023-24 campaign has been a frustrating one for both clubs, not least because they are in the middle of transitional periods, and most of the blame has been laid at the door of their respective managers.
Erik ten Hag has used up all the credit he had in the bank after guiding United to Champions League qualification and the Carabao Cup in his first season at Old Trafford, with his muddled team now on course to record the club's worst-ever Premier League points tally, while Tuchel has become the first Bayern head coach to fail to deliver a customary Bundesliga title in 12 years.
Bayern have already decided to let Tuchel go in the summer, and have claimed that Ten Hag has been discussed as a potential replacement for the German. As is stands, Ten Hag still has the backing of United's minority owners INEOS, but that could change if the Red Devils miss out on European football and suffer another humiliating defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Tuchel is said to be interested in the Old Trafford post, and it's fair to say most supporters would see him as an upgrade on Ten Hag. On the flip side of the coin, the Dutchman seems like a far better fit for Bayern than the former Chelsea boss. A summer swap could be ideal move for all parties concerned as two global footballing superpowers seek the quickest possible route back to the very top of the game…
GettyTuchel a no-brainer for United
Tuchel has been unable to live up to lofty expectations after his initial appointment at Bayern in March 2023. The German giants were on course for the treble when Julian Nagelsmann was ruthlessly sacked, and quickly went into decline under his successor, who oversaw a one-sided defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals and an upset against Freiburg at the same stage in the DFB-Pokal.
Bayern only ended up retaining the Bundesliga in 2022-23 because of a final-day collapse from Borussia Dortmund, and Tuchel has been fighting a losing battle to win over supporters since then. Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen have emerged as the new top dogs in Germany while Bayern have lost their identity amid reports of a dressing room split.
Tuchel was told his contract would be ripped up one year early as early as February, which wasn't a big surprise, especially given the fact he had also been risking the wrath of the Bayern board by complaining about transfers and expressing an interest in working in La Liga. He even admitted publicly he'd been "unhappy for quite some time" after the announcement, which suggests he has never felt completely settled in Munich.
But there is still no doubt that Tuchel remains one of the best coaches in the business. He's proved it again by steering Bayern through to the semi-finals of the Champions League, seeing off Arsenal along the way, and United would be wise to make an early swoop for his services.
According toTuchel is under consideration to fill Ten Hag's seat in the Old Trafford dugout if INEOS ultimately decide to make a change at the end of the season, but it should already be a no-brainer. Tuchel has already earned his Premier League stripes at Chelsea, who have plummeted down the table since his departure, and best of all, United wouldn't have to fork out any compensation fee to bring him on board.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALEverything Ten Hag isn't
Tuchel earned a standing as a cult hero among the Chelsea faithful during his 20-month tenure at Stamford Bridge. He masterminded the Blues' run to their second Champions League crown after inheriting a confidence-stricken squad from Frank Lampard, and turned them back into genuine Premier League title contenders.
Chelsea also won the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup on Tuchel's watch, and Todd Boehly was far too quick to cut ties with him after helming the Clearlake Capital Group's takeover of the club in May 2022. Tuchel overachieved in west London, after outlining a clear philosophy that all of the players bought into, while endearing himself to fans with his no-nonsense approach.
He demanded maximum energy from the first minute to the last, but was also very flexible tactically, which made Chelsea a match for anyone. To put it more simply, Tuchel was everything Ten Hag hasn't been for United this season.
Ten Hag's baffling system has been the main reason for the Red Devils rapid decline, as he's insisted on implementing a high press with a deep defensive block, opening up huge gaps in midfield in the process. The former Ajax manager has also consistently defended underperforming players like Antony, Marcus Rashford and Casemiro, enabling a culture of mediocrity that has dragged United down to previously unimaginable new depths.
Tuchel doesn't make excuses and he doesn't accept anything less than 100 percent effort from his entire squad. That's why he was also statistically the best manager Paris Saint-Germain have ever had – not to mention the only one who successfully handled big egos like Neymar and Kylian Mbappe – and why he punched above his weight in his earlier spells at Dortmund and Mainz.
There have been plenty of occasions when Tuchel has got himself into hot water by being too outspoken, but a strong personality is exactly what United need. Taking a calculated gamble on Tuchel would be a far better move than granting Ten Hag a stay of execution, if INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe is serious about "knocking Manchester City off their perch" within the next three years.
Getty ImagesChance for redemption
That's not to say that Ten Hag is beyond redemption, far from it. He was just never cut out for the top job at Old Trafford.
He built one of the most exciting Ajax teams in recent memory, but wasn't ready for the step up to United, where the levels of scrutiny are far more extreme and there is no hiding place when things go wrong. Ten Hag clearly underestimated just how much work would be needed to revive the club's fortunes, and has paid the price for his naivety, with poor recruitment decisions also coming back to bite him.
It would be a completely different story at Bayern, though. Ten Hag will be stronger for his experience in Manchester, and wouldn't be going into an alien environment, having served as the Bundesliga club's reserve-team boss between 2013 and 2015.
claims that Ten Hag is still very high regarded by Bayern officials, and they have already touched base with his agent over a summer reunion. The German giants also feel he has been held back by a "litany of off-field issues and a poor operational set-up" at United.
Ten Hag would have the chance to work with a far better crop of players who are capable of executing his preferred style of play if he retraced his steps, with Bayern currently set up for success in a similar way to how Ajax were when he initially moved to Amsterdam in 2017. There is a structure in place to not only claim back the Bundesliga title, but to dominate German football again for another prolonged period, and he'd have the chance to rebuild his damaged reputation in the Champions League.
It should also be noted that Tuchel's volatile nature has left him at odds with the Bayern board, which wouldn't be a concern if Ten Hag was in charge. The 54-year-old is better equipped to navigate the political side of life at Allianz Arena because he is far more diplomatic and calm in his approach.
GettyKane's wish
Things might have panned out differently for Ten Hag in 2023-24 had he managed to land his No.1 transfer-target last summer: England captain and Tottenham's all-time record goal-scorer Harry Kane. United ended up signing Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund instead after striking a £72 million ($91m) deal with Atalanta, while Kane finally left Spurs for Bayern in a transfer that could end up being worth over £100m ($126m) when factoring in performance-related add-ons.
Hojlund has had a mixed debut season at Old Trafford, managing only 14 goals in 38 appearances, and has missed a large number of games through injury. "You know Harry Kane will get you 30 goals. I think Rasmus will get there, but he needs time," Ten Hag said after admitting Kane was originally top of his wishlist in an interview with last week. "It's not fair to assess him the same as Harry Kane."
Kane has actually already surpassed the 40-goal mark in his first year at Bayern, breaking numerous records along the way, and so it's easy to understand Ten Hag's frustration. United would certainly be better off right now if they'd won the race for the 30-year-old goal machine.
Ten Hag will still hope to work with a man he has described as a "great player and great personality". No one could possibly say that Tuchel hasn't been able to get the best out of Kane, but if Ten Hag were to take over at Bayern, he would build the team around the former Spurs talisman.
Kane swapped between No.9 and No.10 roles at Tottenham as he often shouldered both the creative and goal-scoring burden for the north London side, but has resisted his natural urge to drop deeper at Bayern. With Jamal Musiala pulling the strings in the middle of the park, Kane has had to evolve into more of a predator – the kind Ten Hag has been craving at United.
Ten Hag is a more attack-minded coach than Tuchel, and frighteningly, his direct style could push Kane to reach even greater heights if he were to be drafted into the Bayern dugout. It seems like a match made in heaven on paper, with Ten Hag well placed to help ensure Kane's longevity at the highest level for years to come.