Man United legend tips Pochettino for the Old Trafford hot seat

Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam believes that Mauricio Pochettino is the ideal candidate to take up the managerial reigns.

The Old Trafford outfit parted company with Jose Mourinho yesterday after he took over in May 2016 and led United to League Cup and Europa League titles, but they are 19 points behind league leaders Liverpool.

The decision to sack Mourinho will cost more than £18m in a severance package for the Portuguese.

Stam, who played in the heart of the United defence under Sir Alex Ferguson would like to see the Spurs boss appointed as the long-term successor.

United announced earlier today that former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be taking over as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

He will be joined by Mike Phelan, who returns as first-team coach having previously worked alongside Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, Stam believes that Pochettino is the man most suitable for the managerial hot seat.

He told Sky Sports News: “He is the best choice,”

“He’s got a lot of experience working in the UK with Southampton and Tottenham. He’s good in building a team, plays attractive football, playing out from the back to score goals and win games. I would say that’s my choice.

“I think they can [get him]. There’s been a discussion at Spurs about not spending money on players, I think he is the type of manager who wants to invest every year and improve – at United he gets to do that.

“They’ve got the money to do that. For him that would be the ultimate step.”

“The only thing is, and that’s a pity for Tottenham, there’s always a bigger club and that’s United,” he added.

“They’ve always got that little bit more to spend, they’re bigger all over the world. For a manager it’s ‘if I want to work at the top I need to be there to really show myself’.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re in the new stadium now or in the next season – if the opportunity is there then he wants to go.”

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