Morgan Schneiderlin has revealed he turned down the chance to reunite with Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur, choosing Manchester United instead because of the club's global stature. The French midfielder, now 37, made the decision over a decade ago after Pochettino, his former boss at Southampton, personally called him to discuss a move to north London.
The Decision: United or Tottenham
Schneiderlin was a target for Pochettino as Tottenham prepared to strengthen a squad that had just finished fifth in the Premier League. The Argentine had left Southampton for Spurs and wanted to bring his former midfielder with him. Schneiderlin told ComeOn: "It was something I was seriously considering because Mauricio Pochettino had left for Spurs. He wanted me, he called me, and we had a lot of conversations with the sporting director at Tottenham."
"So the real decision for me came down to Manchester United or Tottenham," he added. United agreed a £25million fee with Southampton, and Schneiderlin ultimately chose Old Trafford. "In the end, Man United agreed the fee with Southampton, and when I made the decision, I chose United because it's one of the biggest clubs in the world. I simply couldn't turn down that opportunity."
A Difficult Choice and Its Aftermath
The midfielder acknowledged the difficulty of the call, given his familiarity with Pochettino's methods. "But it was a difficult decision, because with Pochettino, I knew that if I went to Tottenham, I'd be joining a manager whose style of play I knew inside out, and that it would have been a great next step for me after leaving Southampton."
At Old Trafford, however, Schneiderlin's fortunes shifted quickly. Louis van Gaal was sacked just one year after signing him, and successor Jose Mourinho did not have room for him in his starting midfield. Reflecting on the choice, Schneiderlin said: "At the time, my thinking was to choose the club rather than go for a manager, because my feeling was better towards Pochettino than it was for Louis van Gaal. But I chose the football club instead of the manager, which sometimes works in your favour, and sometimes it doesn't."
Pochettino's United and the Road Ahead
Despite the outcome, Schneiderlin remains optimistic about United's future under Pochettino. "Playing there was something amazing, and I just can't wait for them to get back to the level they deserve, fighting for titles every year. That is what Pochettino can do for Manchester United."
Pochettino is expected to target defensive reinforcements during the winter transfer window to address a leaky back line. The team conceded 19 goals in 10 league games under predecessor Michael Carrick and 11 in five cup outings. Whether he will turn to former players for that role remains to be seen; during his last Premier League stint, his Chelsea team conceded 63 goals but still finished sixth after scoring 77 times.
