Rudi Garcia: Manager reveals shock Manchester United interview amid Mauricio Pochettino appointment

United had gone 11 games with just one win in all competitions, and while Carrick had been spared the sack after a two heavy defeats by Como and Bournemouth, he was not able to survive a loss and a draw against Chelsea and Aston Villa, despite the dramatic comeback victory over Roma that came between those matches.

As such, Pochettino was selected ahead of other rumoured names on United’s reported shortlist, including Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Fabian Hurzeler, all of whom were thought to have admirers at Old Trafford.

New boss: Mauricio Pochettino

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Now, in an interview with The Athletic, Garcia, who is the head coach of Belgium, has spoken of when he was interviewed for the top job at United.

“Yes, I interviewed twice to work in this fantastic club, one of the best clubs in the world,” he explained.

“I’d like to work in England and I met Darren Fletcher and John Murtough.

It was an interim role and they asked me what I would do once it was over. I told them I would do so well that I would be staying in Manchester, but they gave the job to Ralf [Rangnick].”

Garcia made it to the final two candidates for the caretaker manager position following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure in November 2021.

Ultimately, the Spaniard lost out to the German Ralf Rangnick, who agreed a deal to move into a consulting role following his caretakership at Old Trafford.

That did not happen, with the former RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim manager leaving the club to take the reins of the Austrian national side.