Richard Keys has claimed that Thomas Tuchel would have agreed to take up the Manchester United job had Sir Jim Ratcliffe offered him better wages.
Ratcliffe and the new Manchester United management team decided to stick with Erik ten Hag after speaking with as many as seven different managers over the last few weeks.
Keys admitted that he does not understand what the minority Manchester United owner is trying to achieve by sticking with Ten Hag as the players must be demoralised with almost all of them expecting the Dutchman to get sacked at the end of last season.
He wrote on his official blog: “Meanwhile – what on earth is Sunny Jim doing at United?
“After hawking Ten Hag’s job around Europe since the end of the season it turns out the incumbent keeps stays in post – although he was only fourth choice. What rank amateurism.
“The players must be on the floor. To a man they expected ten Hag to get the sack.
“What does Ratcliffe think will change?”
Tuchel impressed Ratcliffe during talks and Manchester United even discussed financials with the German before both sides decided against continuing the negotiations.
Keys claimed he has been told that the former Chelsea boss would have accepted the job if the salary package was better and accused Ratcliffe of trying to do everything on the cheap.
He insisted that the British billionaire will have to pay for this indecision this summer by having to sack Ten Hag before Christmas.
“If he’d offered a proper salary I’m told Tuchel would’ve said ‘yes’. But Ratcliffe is trying to do everything on the cheap. £35m for [Jarrad] Branthwaite? He’s having a laugh and it will bite him.
“He’ll also have to sack ten Hag before Christmas.”
