Man Utd
Manchester United’s striker search: Kroupi among the names under consideration
Pochettino’s January plans include a striker, with Kroupi one option after injuries and interest.
Mauricio Pochettino is expected to receive backing from Manchester United when the January transfer window opens, and a new striker is likely to sit near the top of the agenda.
The Argentine has swapped international football for what is described as a far more chaotic environment, but the United job is one he has long been linked with. The club have explored the idea for years, going back to the period when he was steering Tottenham Hotspur into Premier League title contention.
His arrival in place of Michael Carrick comes at a moment when some observers view him as a manager whose best years are behind him. Yet there is still optimism among supporters that Pochettino can restore belief, given his reputation for improving players and building structure. Immediate change is not expected, especially with his demanding physical approach, but the club are reportedly prepared to support him in the transfer market so the squad can be shaped to his methods.
The Telegraph reports that a striker is a priority in January after the extent of Benjamin Šeško’s shin injury became clear last month. The Slovenian international is due back in the new year, but a more natural option is still required.
Among the names discussed is Eli Junior Kroupi. The Bournemouth forward might already have secured a major move in the summer had a foot injury in preseason not required surgery. Before that setback, he delivered a record-breaking debut campaign on the south coast, scoring the most goals by a teenager in a single Premier League season. His 13th goal helped seal Arsenal’s first league title in 22 years.
There was also interest in Kroupi during the summer, with Tottenham Hotspur making the strongest approach after their own ambitious window. He has since shown his quality again, setting up Amine Adli for Bournemouth’s second goal in a 2-0 win over Leeds United when he returned in October.
Kroupi is a forward who outperforms expected numbers and links play intelligently between the lines. He is better described as a 9.5 than a traditional No. 9, but any move in January would still require a significant fee. Even with a new manager in place, Manchester United may find more appealing options elsewhere for now, meaning this is a pursuit that could be revisited in the summer.
Man Utd
Pochettino’s early United leanings: seven players set to catch his eye
Pochettino may already trust seven United players, but injuries and squad culling complicate his start.
Mauricio Pochettino has yet to take his first training session at Manchester United, but reports suggest he already has a clear sense of who fits his plans. The Argentine is due to begin work on Wednesday, Nov. 18, leaving just four days before United travel to Anfield to face Liverpool next Sunday.
With so little time to assess the squad in person, it is hardly surprising that he may lean on prior impressions. According to The Telegraph, Marcus Rashford is a player Pochettino has “always loved,” while Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Carlos Baleba, Amad Diallo, Patrick Dorgu and Luke Shaw are also thought to be among those most likely to benefit from the new manager’s backing.
There is, however, an immediate complication. Rashford, Baleba and Shaw are all injured at present. There is hope the England pair can recover before the end of the international break, but Baleba’s hamstring problem, suffered in the dramatic win over Roma, is likely to delay his first appearance under Pochettino.
Fernandes is a particularly interesting case. During United’s search for a new manager, some reports suggested candidates were wary of the dressing room’s unruly reputation. Fernandes, as captain, did little to quiet that perception when he publicly criticised Michael Carrick’s tactics against Como.
The Portuguese playmaker objected to Carrick’s instruction not to press and instead ran around on his own, to the wider detriment of the team. That may not trouble Pochettino, whose reputation has been built on a high-energy pressing approach that could suit Fernandes.
Mainoo, meanwhile, has reportedly earned Pochettino’s approval despite questions over his energy and endurance that were raised by Ruben Amorim. The new manager is said to value the midfielder’s control in possession more highly than any physical reservations.
Another familiar principle should arrive more quickly: overlapping fullbacks. Pochettino used that pattern at Southampton, where Shaw thrived, and later at Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and the U.S. Dorgu could be especially important on the left because of his athleticism and attacking instincts. Shaw, whose attacking threat has declined, could even be used as a centre back to support him.
Pochettino may already have favourites, but Gary Neville believes he will be just as decisive with the players he does not want. “I actually remember going to see him at Tottenham in his very early days,” the eight-time Premier League champion told Sky Sports News. “He had a whiteboard in front of him in his office with all the players’ names on little markers and he actually moved a group of players over to the left-hand side of the board and said: ‘These are the ones I know I need to get rid of. These are the ones I know I can work with and build around.’
“He’s got to identify that very quickly at United and I’m sure he will do that. He’s more experienced now than he was when he was at Tottenham.”
The challenge, of course, is not only identifying the unwanted players, but finding a way to move them on.
Man Utd
How United’s Summer Recruitment Left Carrick Exposed
United changed manager again, but the real damage was done in a summer that left key positions exposed.
One month after the warnings were aired, Manchester United have changed manager again.
Michael Carrick’s exit has not arrived as a shock. United have won only one of their last 11 matches in all competitions, and their lone Premier League victory of 2026/27 came against newly promoted Ipswich in August. By the time of the November international break, the club were in the relegation zone, a position they have not occupied this late in a season since the 1980s.
Mauricio Pochettino is now lined up to take over, but the wider problems at the club go far beyond the dugout. That point was underlined by the frustration expressed by Martínez after the Atlético Madrid defeat, while Ralf Rangnick’s old warning about the need for “open-heart surgery” still hangs over the operation.
Carrick had given United genuine hope when he first arrived in January. He beat Manchester City and Arsenal straight away, then guided the side to third place after winning 12 of his final 17 league games. No manager in the division collected more points in that spell, and with Champions League football secured, the decision to appoint him permanently was obvious.
Yet the summer brought optimism without adequate follow-through. United spent heavily, but not broadly enough. Their three first-team additions were midfielders Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, at a combined cost of $190 million. It was a familiar pattern, but one that left clear gaps untouched.
Left back remains unsettled. United gambled on Luke Shaw staying fit, but that assumption has not held. With Patrick Dorgu more natural higher up the pitch and Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui stretched beyond their comfort zone, the balance has been badly off.
At centre back, the same issue persists. Harry Maguire’s legs have caught up with him, Martínez and Matthijs de Ligt have both been missing through injury, and Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven are not yet ready to carry the load for long periods.
Further forward, the squad lacks a reliable left-sided option and now, after Šesko’s injury, it is also short of true centre-forward depth. Mbeumo has been asked to play centrally, while Joshua Zirkzee is the only other senior striker available. United did not merely need signings this summer. They needed the right ones.
Man Utd
Man Utd’s Leading Managerial Options After Carrick’s Difficult Start
Man Utd are back in the market, with Emery, Conte and Nagelsmann among the names linked.
Manchester United are once again looking for a manager, with Michael Carrick’s position already under scrutiny after a poor start to 2026/27.
The optimism that followed his permanent appointment has faded quickly. Carrick signed a two-year deal before United’s 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of last season, a moment that seemed to promise stability. Instead, the club has slipped back into familiar territory, with a difficult summer and a short-handed squad contributing to the current problems.
Carrick is not the only figure who has to carry some responsibility, but any successor will face the same demands that have undone so many before him. Even so, Manchester United retain enough prestige and pull to attract leading names, and several high-profile managers have been linked with the job.
One of the club’s preferred targets is Unai Emery. Before Aston Villa’s visit to Manchester, there were reports that Emery wanted to remain at Villa Park, and he has spoken about conversations aimed at building a “stronger” project. A contract extension is reportedly close, which would make any approach extremely difficult. Emery has transformed Villa into one of the division’s stronger sides, but his future appears tied to the West Midlands.
Antonio Conte remains the clearest short-term solution if the aim is immediate results. His record in England and Italy is outstanding, with success at Chelsea, Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli. He also delivered an impressive early spell at Tottenham Hotspur, but his intense style and demanding nature are not always easy to manage. Even so, his winning record stands out.
Julian Nagelsmann offers a very different profile. Once a favourite among tactically minded observers, he made his name at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, reaching the Champions League semifinals with the latter. His spells at Bayern Munich and with the German national team were less convincing, and his stock has dipped further after Germany’s disappointing World Cup exit. He would bring a clear tactical identity, though some feel the concept is stronger than the reality.
