Gary Neville wants Manchester United to sign Diego Simeone as their next manager, suggesting the club needs someone tough to challenge for titles.
Manchester United are set for a busy summer window, with the primary focus on appointing a new permanent manager. There are plenty of names being thrown around for the next man to take over the reins at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag is reportedly in pole position for the Manchester United job. However, the Dutchman has challengers in Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel, with the club keeping their options open. Interim manager Ralf Rangnick will step down and move into a consulting role and will offer his assistance in the new permanent appointment.
The Red Devils have struggled for ideas despite the presence of world-class talents in their squad. The latest disappointment came when Atletico Madrid eliminated Manchester United from the UEFA Champions League by a narrow aggregate scoreline. That result means Old Trafford will endure another trophyless campaign, which has become the norm in recent years.
Following Atletico’s success earlier this week, former Manchester United captain Gary Neville urged the club to try and sign Diego Simeone as their manager, stating the Red Devils need a tough manager at the helm.
The two seasons before Diego Simeone joined Atletico, they finished 9th and 7th.
In his 10 full seasons in charge:
✅ Won La Liga three times
✅ Won 2 Europa Leagues
✅ Won Copa Del Rey
✅ Never finished outside top 3An incredible manager ? pic.twitter.com/JWAsSlBZQJ
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 15, 2022
The Sky Sports pundit insisted the club pay whatever it takes to bring the Argentine to Old Trafford, which could, in turn, bring in long-term success. As quoted by the Daily Mail, Neville said, “Diego Simeone should be a candidate, but it’s never been achievable to get him out of Atletico Madrid. He is wedded in there; he is tied.
“But it would be brilliant to see him in the Premier League, you saw on Tuesday night; I’ve seen it many times – I got beaten 2-0 in Valencia by his brilliant Atletico Madrid team that Griezmann was in before he went to Barcelona. Fantastic coach, brutal in how he approaches the game, I think in every single way. He’s tough, and Manchester United need a tough manager.”
Neville later conceded it might be difficult to convince Simeone to come to England and admitted Pochettino or ten Hag may be the answer. However, he suggested that Manchester United should explore the chance to sign the 51-year-old Argentine before making their final decision on the managerial appointment.
“Manchester United need a manager who can compete with Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – they’re the best, so they need someone who can stand on that touchline and feel equal to them, and I think Simeone could,” Neville said.
“I wouldn’t rule Simeone out at all, but I think Ten Hag and Pochettino would be the way forward because they’ll want a progressive coach that plays a certain way, that probably is a little bit cheaper and available. I don’t know how much it would cost to get Simeone out of Atletico Madrid, but Manchester United would have to pay big money.”
Despite widespread interest from Premier League sides in the past, Simeone has remained with Atletico Madrid for many years. By staying at the Spanish capital club, the Argentine has become one of the highest-earning managers in world football. Whether he decides to move on in the summer will be interesting to see.