Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has given his backing to Thomas Tuchel to become the next permanent manager of the club in the summer. The 40-year-old said that the German had Premier League experience and had won trophies in the past, adding that he had done well as the England manager.
Tuchel’s contract with England ends with the 2026 World Cup, having signed an 18-month deal with the national side in January 2025.
“Tuchel is the one for me. He knows the Premier League, has won trophies. He is doing well at England. Time will tell,” Rooney told the BBC.
Another option that United have is Xabi Alonso, who parted company with Real Madrid earlier this week, but Rooney felt that he may want the Liverpool job and might wait to take up that role in the future.
“Alonso did incredible at Leverkusen and I think you have more chance of him sitting and waiting and hoping with [Liverpool manager Arne] Slot,” he said.
Rooney agreed with Michael Carrick’s appointment as the interim manager, saying that the club was not in the right place currently, despite sitting in seventh place on the points table and one point off Champions League places.
Michael Carrick will take over as Mancheter United manager for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. (Reuters)
“It is probably the obvious choice really because I don’t think there are any top, top managers available at the minute. I think it is the right choice at this moment in time.”
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“It is a difficult task of course. Where Manchester United are at the minute is not a good place and Michael has to go in and steady the ship,” the club’s record goal scorer said.
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He admitted that Carrick’s first game in charge against Manchester City on Saturday was a “massive game” for him and for Manchester United.
“It is a massive game for the club, for Michael. I think what he will do is bring a bit of calmness, a bit of grit to the game, which I think is needed. It is going to be very difficult, Manchester City are obviously a top team and it will be difficult to get anything out of it even at Old Trafford.”
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“But as we’ve seen over the years, Manchester United if they do turn up can win the game and hopefully that happens on Saturday,” Rooney said.
