‘Perfect’ candidate for Man Utd job joins Thomas Tuchel in rejecting interest
Manchester United’s hopes of luring Carlo Ancelotti to Old Trafford have been ended with the manager described as the ‘perfect appointment’ committed to signing a new long-term deal with Brazil.
The former AC Milan and Real Madrid head coach has long been linked with the job at Old Trafford with Sir Alex Ferguson asking him to step into his shoes following his retirement in 2013.
He has again been in the running with United learning towards making an external appointment when they appoint a new permanent manager this summer despite Michael Carrick’s thrilling start in his temporary role.
Ancelotti has twice worked in the Premier League with Chelsea and Everton but left club management behind to take over the Brazilian national team last year.
He will be tasked with leading the Seleção to a first World Cup in 24 years in North America this summer.
While one of the biggest jobs in club football to be available, Ancelotti is now set to sign a new four-year contract with the Brazilian Football Confederation.
The Athletic report the deal to keep him in charge until 2030 is now a ‘formality’.
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As one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the game, Ancelotti was regarded as an ‘perfect appointment’ as a long-term replacement for Amorim by United legend Gary Neville.
‘The outstanding candidate for me would be Carlo Ancelotti, even if it would mean potentially delaying his arrival until late July if Brazil reached the World Cup final,’ Neville told The Overlap in January.
‘No-one comes as close to fulfilling everything laid out above than he does. Ironically the club met with Carlo shortly before his retirement in 2013 and we could have short circuited this entire process and started with him at the beginning of the cycle.
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‘But by that stage he was close to agreeing to joining Real Madrid for his first spell in charge and so what might have been a perfect appointment never happened.’
Reports this week have suggested England manager Thomas Tuchel had emerged as United’s ‘preferred’ choice at Old Trafford.
But developments this week appear to have moved the German out of their reach with Tuchel signing a new deal as Three Lions boss until 2028.
The move will likely ensure there are no distractions over Tuchel’s future heading in the World Cup, leaving United to consider other alternatives.
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Article source: https://metro.co.uk/2026/02/13/perfect-candidate-man-utd-job-joins-thomas-tuchel-rejecting-interest-26875959/