Thomas Tuchel faces awkward reunion with Man Utd stars after harsh criticism

Thomas Tuchel's strained relationship with two Manchester United stars could pose a problem if he is appointed as the new manager at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are reportedly considering the German tactician to replace Erik Ten Hag, who has had a disappointing start to the Premier League season - with United languishing in 14th place at present.

Ten Hag, who took over in 2022, has managed only two victories in his first seven matches of the 2024/25 campaign, leading to speculation that his tenure may soon come to an end. United's board did consider Tuchel during the summer but ultimately decided to back their already present Dutchman.

However, if they were to bring in the former Chelsea boss, it could spell trouble for recent signings Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. Tuchel previously worked with both defenders at Bayern Munich, where De Ligt made 22 appearances and Mazraoui three fewer.

However, Tuchel reportedly didn't see De Ligt fitting into his plans due to his slow build-up play and preference for sideways passes, not to mention stiff competition from other players. Instead, Tuchel favoured Eric Dier, Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano in his defensive line-up, leaving De Ligt questioning his future at the club.

Meanwhile, Mazraoui played just 19 Bundesliga games under Tuchel last season, with star player Joshua Kimmich often filling in at right-back, reports the Manchester Evening News.

While Tuchel acknowledged Mazraoui's finesse on the ball, he remained unimpressed with the defender's physicality. Speaking candidly, Tuchel said: "We don't need to talk about his technical skills and his understanding of the game. That's great, but he has to develop some grit and push himself to the physical limit. Nous has to fight, fight, fight."

De Ligt has played a crucial role for Ten Hag this season, featuring in each of United's seven Premier League games thus far, as well as taking part in both an EFL Cup match and a Europa League game since his transfer to Manchester United was sealed for a hefty £42.7million fee in August.

Likewise, Mazraoui, who arrived with a price tag of £12.8 million, has remained present in every top-flight match for United thus far. However, the potential arrival of Tuchel at Old Trafford could spell trouble for the duo, both of whom are looking for new beginnings under Ten Hag's guidance up north.

Considering the plethora of choices at Tuchel's disposal, including Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro (once fit again), Jonny Evans as centre-backs, and Diogo Dalot as right-back, it will be intriguing to see if past patterns reemerge.