MANCHESTER UNITED is still on the lookout for a permanent manager.
Rangnick Rangnick is likely to play a major role in the appointment of Manchester United's next manager (Image: GETTY)
Manchester United's season is quite similar to that of Paris Saint-Germain. The additions of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi seemed to pave the way for triumph and enormous success.
They appeared to be the final golden pieces of their obscenely expensive puzzles, with United aiming for the Premier League and PSG aiming for the Champions League titles. Unfortunately, instead of trophies, the pyrotechnics, jubilant pyro, and announcement films have simply resulted in remarkable social media engagement.
If the French giants do not capitulate catastrophically and lose their 13-point lead at the top of the table, Mauricio Pochettino will most likely win his first Premier League title as a manager. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager has already managed to complete the entire season, surpassing Manchester United counterpart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Despite this, the Argentine is more likely to leave the Parc des Princes with awards than genuine gratitude from his current employers. Ralf Rangnick, new CEO Richard Arnold, and Pochettino himself will have to learn the painful lessons Pochettino and Solskjaer both learnt if he wants to escape the Ligue 1 giant's revolving door and quickly enter that of Old Trafford.
Pochettino's team were defeated 3-0 by arch rivals Monaco. (Image courtesy of GETTY)
Successful transfer windows don't always imply huge success on the field. Both Solskjaer and Pochettino had spectacular transfer windows, only for their campaigns to peter out by the time the party confetti had been taken away.
Many Manchester United supporters have long maintained that they are just a defensive midfielder away from a serious transfer battle. They also thought they were a decent winger and another partner for Harry Maguire away from a challenge at the start of the season - they got both, with Ronaldo on top of it.
Pochettino's broad array of players has not ensured him complete success (Image: GETTY)
Messi came in Paris and walked right into a frontline that included the world's most expensive player, Neymar, and World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, who will almost certainly add the Ballon d'Or to his already impressive resume. There is no quick answer for Manchester United's lack of title credentials, just as there is no quick fix to keep PSG from falling farther behind in the Champions League race.
Both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola needed at least four transfer windows to put together their strong teams. Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson Becker were all acquired over the course of four transfer windows, while Guardiola purchased two goalkeepers and six defenders in the same period of time.
But the tolerance for error that Klopp and Guardiola were given by their respective clubs is the most significant component of their success. Guardiola failed to win a title in his first season, and Klopp was given the leeway to lose three finals before winning his first.
If Pochettino is Manchester United's man, the Reds will be lucky if they finish in the top four in his first season, let alone achieve the success they desire. If he is Ralf Rangnick's replacement, United must remember that the road to victory is not a short and easy one, but a long and winding one with many unexpected twists and turns.
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