Paul Merson has slammed Manchester United for their interest in Mauricio Pochettino and insists they should instead be targeting Brendan Rodgers.
Pochettino remains one of the frontrunners, alongside Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, to become the next permanent United manager as the club look to make an appointment in the summer.
Manchester Evening News understands United's interest in Pochettino is reciprocated, with the former Tottenham boss open to returning to the Premier League following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking before Ralf Rangnick was appointed on an interim basis.
Former Arsenal midfielder Merson, though, does not believe the Argentine is the right man for United, so much so that the club's interest in Pochettino makes little sense.
“I don't understand why Manchester United would be waiting for Mauricio Pochettino. I don't get it,” Merson said
“If Pochettino doesn't win the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, why would they be going in for him?
“You've got to remember he failed to win the French league last year, too. That's virtually impossible to do. Everybody keeps saying they need to go out and get Pochettino but I don't understand why.
“It does my head in. It's all I ever hear. What did he do? He got Tottenham to the final of the Champions League and his side finished third one year in the Premier League.
“PSG have appointed him to win the Champions League, but I don't give PSG a chance of doing it this year so I'm not sure what the obsession is with Pochettino.”
Merson also insists United should be looking closer to home for their new manager – and feels Leicester boss Rodgers would be a better choice than Pochettino.
He continued: “If I was in charge at United, I'd be going for Rodgers or Graham Potter now. People are still caught up on the Pochettino of seven years ago. If that's the case, why isn't everyone going for Claudio Ranieri again?
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“He won the league in 2016, Pochettino didn't. He took Tottenham as far as he could, and then you've got someone like Rodgers who has done a far better job than what Pochettino did.
“He only lost the league at Liverpool because of a slip. Now, he doesn't even get a mention.”
