Just ‘noise’ - Brendan Rodgers reacts to Manchester United speculation, Mauricio Pochettino approach rejected - reports
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 24/11/2021 at 17:49 GMT
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers says he is trying to ignore the “noise” linking him with Old Trafford, following reports that Paris Saint-Germain have rejected an initial approach for Mauricio Pochettino. There is also speculation that former Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has been spoken to along with Lucien Favre and Rudi Garcia.
'Gossip and speculation' - Rodgers dismisses Man Utd rumours
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has dismissed speculation linking him with taking over as Manchester United manager as “not real” and “noise” - on another day in which all sorts of names have been reported to be of interest.
ESPN has today claimed that Paris Saint-Germain have knocked back an initial approach for United’s top target Mauricio Pochettino - although he is still the favourite to take the role on a permanent basis.
Short-term, Michael Carrick currently has the role on a caretaker basis, following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking on Sunday.
But if he is the fix for now, a different interim until the end of the season is being considered by the Old Trafford hierarchy if they cannot get one of their top targets now - such as Pochettino, Rodgers or Ajax head coach Erik ten Haag.
Former Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde is understood to have held talks about taking the job short-term, while the Manchester Evening News is reporting that Ralf Rangnick is also under consideration for that position.
The Telegraph say that former Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre and ex-Roma, Marseille and Lyon head coach Rudi Garcia have been interviewed for the role.
Coincidently, Pochettino is in Manchester for PSG’s Champions League game with Manchester City tonight, and it is understood he would be keen on moving to United, with the French club reportedly chasing Zinedine Zidane to replace him. As for Rodgers, he is only focused on Leicester, who face Legia Warsaw in the Europa League tomorrow night.
“Firstly, it’s really disrespectful for you to ask the question when you have a manager in place, a good manager and a good man, who’s working at the club,” Rodgers said, relating to Carrick.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/11/24/3259308-66703433-2560-1440.jpg)
Carrick on 'important result for the club' in UCL win over Villarreal
“Secondly, I can’t really comment on it because it’s something that’s not real. I’m here as the Leicester City manager. I’m proud to be here, privileged to be here and fully committed to the players, the club, the ownership.
"That’s about it really. All the other noise around that is something we can’t control.
“(The noise) doesn’t frustrate me personally. My focus is always on the next game, so the only club I’m thinking about is Chelsea and getting ready for that.”
Scan me
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement