Manchester United
How United’s Long Chase for Pochettino Has Finally Reached a Decisive Stage
United’s long pursuit of Pochettino has resurfaced, with another managerial change now under discussion.
Mauricio Pochettino appears closer than ever to taking over at Manchester United, with the club weighing up whether Michael Carrick could be removed this week. That decision has not yet been finalised, but the direction of travel is clear.
This is not a sudden courtship. United have been connected with Pochettino for well over a decade, first when they chose Louis van Gaal instead of the Argentine, who went on to join Tottenham Hotspur. Since then, the links have resurfaced repeatedly, including in 2016, 2018 and 2021, whenever the manager’s seat at Old Trafford became unsettled.
Yet on each of those occasions, Pochettino was tied to another job. He was at Tottenham and later at Paris Saint-Germain, which meant United never had an open lane to move for him. Even so, the club passed on him again more recently, twice in fact.
David Ornstein said on The Athletic FC podcast this week that Pochettino was in the “final two” in May 2022 before United appointed Erik ten Hag after his work at Ajax. By then, Pochettino was departing PSG after 18 months that brought three trophies but ended badly. United then moved away from him again in 2024.
That summer, Pochettino was available after leaving Chelsea by mutual consent at the end of a 2023-24 campaign marked by tension with the sporting hierarchy at Stamford Bridge. United were reviewing options after Ten Hag’s impact fell short of expectations, and Pochettino was among the candidates they spoke to before deciding to keep the Dutchman.
He soon took charge of U.S. Soccer, while Ruben Amorim, also considered that summer, later replaced Ten Hag after the dismissal.
“I did not hear the best feedback from how it went on that occasion,” Ornstein said. “I was told they were a little underwhelmed regarding his coaching, his hunger, his work rate. I don’t know all of the factors, but that sort of gist.
“Clearly, they didn’t think that highly of him because they ended up taking [Thomas] Tuchel and [Roberto] De Zerbi to the ‘last two,’ and ultimately gave Ten Hag a new contract.”
If that was the view then, it appears to have shifted now. United could have taken him in the summer of 2026, when he was briefly available after the World Cup, but instead promoted Carrick from interim to permanent manager following a strong finish to 2025-26.
There are still other options on the market, but United seem prepared to pay to free Pochettino and his staff from their U.S. Soccer contracts rather than turn to a free agent such as Antonio Conte or Julian Nagelsmann. Jason Wilcox, now sporting director, had only recently moved into the technical director role in spring 2024 and was impressed that Ten Hag accepted his tactical advice for the FA Cup final win over Manchester City. Results later changed the picture.
Pochettino, meanwhile, may also be in a different place after his Chelsea spell. If United do move for him, the structure around him and his remit would almost certainly need to be clear before any appointment is completed.
Manchester United
United move toward Pochettino as Carrick’s future stays unresolved
United are moving toward Pochettino while Carrick remains in charge and the decision is unfinished.
Manchester United are said to be edging closer to appointing Mauricio Pochettino, even though the club has not yet completed the process of deciding whether to remove current manager Michael Carrick.
According to reports, chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox have already concluded that a change is needed. The pair, after celebrating United’s stoppage-time equalizer against Aston Villa on Sunday, then travelled to Monaco to present their position to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The steps required to settle Carrick’s fate remain in motion.
United’s preference, however, has become clear. The Athletic reports that Pochettino is the leading candidate and is now in advanced negotiations with the club. Other names, including Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte, had been discussed, but Pochettino is viewed as the preferred option.
United still have to agree terms with the former Tottenham Hotspur boss and have not yet spoken to U.S. Soccer, which suggests the talks are being handled carefully. Mike Keegan of The Overlap has reported that there is discussion over whether Pochettino will remain in charge of the USMNT for their two upcoming Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti this month before moving on to United for the trip to Liverpool on Nov. 22.
It has also been widely reported that United would need to pay around $10 million to release Pochettino from his USMNT agreement, with “millions more” potentially required to bring his trusted assistants with him. One of those assistants, Jesús Pérez, was previously involved in a trip to Manchester to visit the National Football Museum during time off while the pair were at Tottenham Hotspur.
During a World Cup media session over the summer, Pochettino joked to Pérez: “One day your dream comes true. You go to Manchester United.” Pérez replied: “United should have got you.” Pochettino answered: “Future, future!”
For now, Carrick is still employed by Manchester United. He took training on Tuesday and Wednesday as normal, arriving early to oversee work for players not on international duty.
Manchester United
Pochettino’s United links could leave USMNT facing an abrupt reset
A possible United move for Pochettino would force the USMNT into an abrupt and risky reset.
Mauricio Pochettino’s unexpected link to the Manchester United job would carry consequences well beyond Old Trafford. The Argentine only recently committed to the USMNT with a contract extension through the 2030 World Cup, yet a release clause in that deal could still give him a route back into club management in England.
In April, Pochettino made clear how strongly he felt about a Premier League return. “One day, yes because I really like England,” Mauricio Pochettino said when asked if he wanted to go back. “I think my human profile and coach profile match very well with the Premier League and with the culture, the idea, the idiosyncrasy and the philosophy.”
Four months later, he extended his stay with the United States, but reports now suggest the door to Manchester has opened. Michael Carrick is reportedly set to be fired before domestic action resumes in two weeks, and Pochettino has emerged as an unexpected frontrunner.
For U.S. Soccer, the timing would be awkward at best. Pochettino only led the team through a strong fall window, winning all four games against Chile, Peru, Mexico and Canada. He then steered the side into the next phase of preparations, where the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti are due in November.
If he were to leave now, the Americans would be left answering questions about his future while trying to focus on the pitch. More importantly, they would be forced into a sudden change of direction without a clear succession plan.
That would be a sharp contrast to the progress made under Pochettino. The USMNT developed a harder edge during the World Cup, playing with aggression, control and intensity. That identity grew stronger during the autumn internationals, even with a number of new faces involved.
His new contract also tied him to the federation’s youth work. “We are excited by the opportunity to bring all our experience and knowledge to even more areas of U.S. Soccer while helping strengthen the pathways for players, coaches and teams across the federation,” Pochettino said upon signing his new deal in August.
U.S. Soccer CEO and secretary general JT Batson added: “Mauricio and his staff believe in the future of soccer in the United States and our new project allows us to build on progress of the USMNT and the momentum of U.S. Soccer.”
That wider commitment has already been reflected in his selections, with 13 uncapped players called up for the fall friendlies, including eight teenagers. Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall and Justin Ellis all impressed enough to remain in the picture for November, underlining how central Pochettino is to the next stage of the project.
Aston Villa
United’s next manager could cost far less, or far more, depending on the route chosen
United could pay $10m for Pochettino, or nothing for other out-of-work candidates.
Manchester United are weighing up a managerial appointment where the fee may matter almost as much as the candidate. Mauricio Pochettino would reportedly cost more than $10 million to be prised from his U.S. men’s national team deal, but he is not the most expensive option on the club’s radar.
The issue reflects a familiar theme at Old Trafford. Since Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s spell ended early in 2021-22, after successive third and second-place Premier League finishes, four semifinals and a final, United have repeatedly found that changing manager carries a sizeable bill. That has been a difficult pattern at a time when other costs have generally been reduced.
Erik ten Hag did deliver trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2022-23 and the FA Cup in 2023-24. That placed him among only six managers in the club’s history to have won two trophies. Even so, United considered replacing him in the summer of 2024, then extended his contract before dismissing him within four months at a cost of £14.5 million ($19.5 million at today’s rate). Ruben Amorim’s move from Sporting CP cost £11 million ($14.8 million), and his departure after 14 months added another £16 million ($21.5 million).
Carrick represented the opposite end of the scale. When he returned to Old Trafford as interim manager last January, he was unattached, so the club paid nothing to appoint him. His salary is believed to be lower than those of his two most recent predecessors, which would also limit any future payout. If he were to lose his job, the final figure would only be confirmed when United’s 2026-27 accounts are published towards the end of next year.
Pochettino signed his U.S. Soccer agreement in August after his previous terms expired at the end of the 2026 World Cup. The Athletic reports a $10 million buyout, with “millions more dollars” required to bring his coaching staff as well.
Unai Emery would be pricier still. The Telegraph has reported Aston Villa would ask for £20 million ($26.9 million), while Eddie Howe’s compensation is falling from £6 million in the summer to around £3 million ($4 million) by the end of October. Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte would cost nothing.
