New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS): Thomas Tuchel’s agent Pini Zahavi believes England’s new head coach, who is set to begin his tenure from January 2025, should have accepted an offer to replace Erik Ten Hag as Manchester United head coach and that a deal between the two parties ‘was basically done.’

"If I were Thomas, I would have gone to Manchester United. He had the opportunity. Everything was prepared, the deal was basically done.

"Thomas has a spark of genius in him but in today's football you have to be wise and a diplomat. He will have to learn that," Zahavi said to German newspaper Die Welt.

Tuchel was appointed the new head coach of the Three Lions following the resignation of Gareth Southgate post the loss in the 2024 European Championship final.

Tuchel returned to English football after a trophy-laden period with Chelsea whom he led to become European and world champions, having also been successful at elite level in Germany and France. In addition, he was voted UEFA and FIFA’s coach of the year in 2021 in recognition of his work in England.

Tuchel’s impressive list of coaching honours includes league titles in France and Germany, twice with Paris Saint-Germain and most recently with Bayern Munich in the 2022/23 season, having won his first major trophy in 2017 when Borussia Dortmund lifted the German Cup.

Reports suggested that Tuchel was Manchester United’s first choice to replace Ten Hag had the Dutchman been sacked in the summer but the delay in his removal saw the Red Devils miss out on their target.

The Manchester side has now appointed Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim as the team’s head coach and he will be replacing interim manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy from November 11, during the international break.