Laurent Blanc 2014 Approach Revealed amid Manchester United Rumours

Manchester United got in touch with Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc about becoming the club’s manager last April after a recommendation from Sir Alex Ferguson, according to reports.

Bleacher Report’s French football expert Jonathan Johnson confirmed the story:

David Moyes lost his job with the Red Devils back in April 2014 after a turbulent start to life at Old Trafford. Following on from Moyes’ departure, Ryan Giggs took temporary charge before Louis van Gaal was eventually confirmed as the Scot’s permanent successor.

At the time, it appeared as though the Dutchman was out on his own as a potential candidate for the job, but it seems as though Blanc is held in high regard by plenty at Old Trafford.

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Indeed, there have been rumours surfacing this season that have claimed United could move for the former defender should they lose patience with Van Gaal, per Le Parisien (h/t Alex Harris of the Daily Star).

It’s easy to see why Ferguson potentially holds his former player in such high regard. After a difficult start to life in the Premier League, Blanc emerged as a key man at the heart of the United back four, and his experience was imperative when the club went on to win the Premier League in 2003.

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His qualities as a player were obvious, but as of yet, he’s been unconvincing as a manager. Paris Saint-Germain have been inconsistent under his tutelage, a trait epitomised in the previous week when their remarkable Champions League triumph over Chelsea was backed up by a 3-2 loss against Bordeaux.

As noted by OptaJean, PSG have struggled of late on the domestic front:

With that in mind, it would be peculiar for United to pull the trigger on Van Gaal and move mountains to land Blanc. The Dutchman may not have enjoyed an ideal first season at Old Trafford, but for United to rip things up and start again with a manager of lesser experience and pedigree would make little sense.

Here's a look at what moves Bleacher Report's Stan Collymore thinks Van Gaal could potentially make in the transfer market to haul United back up to the peak of the Premier League:

Indeed, United’s recent win over Tottenham pointed to the fact that this team finally seems to be jelling under LvG's watch, as suggested by a tweet from the side's official account:

Blanc seems to be fighting a major battle to keep his job in the French capital, and that will likely depend on whether he can secure the club’s maiden Champions League triumph. But even if he is available this summer, at this juncture, he doesn’t emit the aura of a man who is ready to walk into Old Trafford and drag a club toward new heights.

His hiring would be at the expense of Van Gaal, who seems to be making slow but steady progress in the Red Devils' hot seat. To cast aside all the meticulous work that will have been put in by the Dutchman at this juncture would be massively misguided.