Manchester United in talks with Rudi Garcia about interim manager role - Reports

Manchester United have reportedly opened negotiations with former Lyon manager Rudi Garcia over potentially becoming the club's interim manager until the end of the season.

The Red Devils parted ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after their 4-1 defeat to Watford on Saturday and have appointed first-team coach Michael Carrick as the club's interim manager.

According to Andy Mitten, Manchester United are in talks with Rudi Garcia to become the interim manager of the 20-time Premier League champions. The Red Devils reportedly view PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino as the ideal long-term replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The former Tottenham boss' current contract with PSG runs until 2023. Furthermore, the Argentine revealed that he is happy in the French capital and is focused on leading PSG to trophies this season.

Lyon boss Rudi Garcia is well known for his time as manager of Ligue clubs Lille and Lyon, and his three-year stint with Serie A giants AS Roma. He spent five seasons with Lille during which he led the club to the 2010-11 Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double.

Rudi Garcia played a key role in the development of Eden Hazard. The Belgian rose through the youth ranks at Lille before becoming a regular starter under the management of Rudi Garcia during the 2008-09 season.

Rudi Garcia spent three seasons with Italian club AS Roma, during which he led the club to consecutive second-place finishes. He also managed top-quality footballers such as Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi.

The 57-year-old was most recently the manager of Lyon until he parted ways with the club at the end of the 2020-21 season. He led Lyon to the semi-finals of the 2019-20 Champions League, during which they defeated Juventus and Manchester City in the knockout stages of the competition.

Manchester United currently possess a number of world-class players in their squad, including the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, Raphael Varane, and Paul Pogba. A number of these players possess massive egos and personalities and were reportedly unhappy with the way Solskjaer managed the squad.

Manchester United's interim manager will need to have experience dealing with big personalities and world-class players. Rudi Garcia's time with Roma and in France means he is well-suited to the role.

Recent reports have suggested Manchester United are in talks with former Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde over the interim manager's role at Old Trafford. Rudi Garcia's attacking style of play could, however, give him an added advantage in the race to take the job at Manchester United.