Man Utd target Thomas Tuchel has already aimed dig at Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand

Manchester United target Thomas Tuchel has previously expressed concern about the added pressures from club legends.

Tuchel has emerged as the leading contender to take over at Old Trafford should Erik ten Hag's tenure be brought to an end. The former Bayern Munich manager is actively seeking a new challenge after his departure from the Bundesliga giant.

And he's reportedly keen on a return to the Premier League following his successful spell at Chelsea, where he completed their Champions League triumph in 2021. The Guardian claims Tuchel is at the top of the list for potential replacements for Ten Hag, whose future beyond this weekend's FA Cup final remains uncertain.

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But there's also question marks around Tuchel, who has previously acknowledged the unique challenges posed by United's storied past and the vocal presence of the likes of Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand in the media, reports the Mirror.

Both Neville and Ferdinand had been critical about their former club's recruitment in the lead-up to their Champions League match against Bayern in September, prompting Tuchel to note: "There is always a lot of noise around Manchester United. A lot of pundits in the UK are from Manchester United.

"You have a legacy from Alex Ferguson which creates expectations around the club. All of us, me in Bayern and my colleague at Man Utd, want to achieve the same things. It is pretty common at Man Utd that little things become a bit bigger or the talking is a bit noisier."

Tuchel may well have to take that into consideration if he's the chosen one to replace Ten Hag. A return to Stamford Bridge looks unlikely, despite Mauricio Pochettino's mutual departure.

Chelsea are reportedly seeking a younger managerial prospect rather than an experienced one, with names like Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna being mentioned.

There's also the prior tension between Tuchel and Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly, who allegedly referred to him as a "nightmare" during transfer dealings in claims made to an unnamed Premier League executive. Tuchel had a notably smoother relationship with former owner Roman Abramovich.

Ten Hag, meanwhile, is expected to learn his future at United after the trip to Wembley on Saturday. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team are believed to be waiting to make a decision until after seeing if Ten Hag can secure his second trophy in two seasons with the club.