French giants Paris Saint Germain had hoped Manchester United would appoint Mauricio Pochettino last year to ensure they did not have to pay-out a significant sum to their now-outgoing boss.
PSG and Pochettino reached an agreement for him to depart the French capital this summer after he was informed that the club no longer intended to keep his services.
However, it has been reported by The Telegraph that PSG had hoped in the aftermath of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking as United boss last November that the Argentinian would be appointed.
That would have ensured that PSG would not have had to pay out the sizeable £17m severance package that they are now liable for to Pochettino and his backroom team.
Pochettino and his backroom staff, including assistants Jesus Perez, Miguel D’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and his son Sebastiano, all had a year left to run on their deals with the French club.
As it is, PSG have decided to end the tenure of the former Tottenham Hotspur boss.
It has been reported that Pochettino's time in Paris was always likely to have ended this summer, with numerous events conspiring to make an unhappy marriage by the end.
It is said that the defeat to Real Madrid, having led 2-0 on aggregate at half time in the second leg, was also influential in the mutual decision to part ways.
The club reportedly grew frustrated at his 'flirting' with former club Spurs last summer and it was questioned whether or not he enjoyed Paris itself.
Meanwhile, PSG are said to have finally realised that the squad needs a dramatic rebuild and this was publicly acknowledged, it is believed, by the appointment of Luis Campos as a 'football advisor' at the club.
It is believed that he will have a significant say in the club's rebuild. Despite winning the Ligue 1 title last season, however, it has been decided that Pochettino is not the right man to lead that rebuild from the dugout.
Pochettino will now take some time out to assess his best options, but it is believed that he would like to make a return to the Premier League.
Spurs, who qualified for the Champions League on the final day of the season, would have represented a likely route back for the former PSG player but Antonio Conte decided to remain with the club for next season.
Meanwhile, PSG's managerial options look to be narrowed down to three candidates, with Zinedine Zidane thought to be the number one option on PSG's list.
Christophe Galtie, the current Nice boss whose Lille side pipped PSG to the Ligue 1 title in Pochettino's first season, is also thought to have been sounded out.
While Jose Mourinho, who enjoyed a successful end to his first season with Roma lifting the inaugural Europa Conference League, is also being considered.
