Guardiola considered for United States role as Pochettino nears Manchester United move

Pep Guardiola is being considered as a potential successor to Mauricio Pochettino as United States manager, with the Argentine reportedly close to taking charge of Manchester United.

Pochettino is understood to have reached a verbal agreement with Manchester United on Wednesday, according to reports, and could replace Michael Carrick in the coming days. Carrick is expected to be informed of his dismissal before the end of the week.

Manchester United have decided to part company with Carrick during the current international break after a disappointing run of results. They have won only two of their past 10 Premier League matches, despite an entertaining 4-4 draw with Aston Villa.

Carrick took over in January, succeeding Ruben Amorim, and was given a two-year contract in May after guiding the club to third place and qualification for the UEFA Champions League. However, the team’s subsequent decline has placed his position under renewed scrutiny.

Although Carrick said after the draw with Aston Villa that he was not considering his resignation, reports indicate Manchester United want to appoint a new manager before their meeting with Liverpool at Anfield on 22 November.

Pochettino’s expected move to Old Trafford would leave the United States Soccer Federation searching for a new manager, potentially after the national side’s two anticipated matches against Haiti on Saturday and Wednesday.

According to The Athletic, United States officials have already begun discussing possible candidates to replace Pochettino, with Guardiola among the leading names under consideration. The former Manchester City manager’s name has reportedly been discussed at several levels of the selection process as the federation considers appointing one of the most prominent coaches in world football.

Guardiola, 55, is not believed to be in a hurry to return to management. However, he has long shown an interest in working in the United States, which could make the role appealing to him.

The Spaniard rejected an opportunity to manage Italy in July after holding talks with the Italian Football Federation.

“Pep was honest,” Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malago told La Repubblica. “He took a break, partly for family reasons, but if he was going to undertake any coaching experience, he would have done it with us.”

Guardiola left Manchester City at the end of last season after 10 years with the club, during which he won 20 trophies. He subsequently became a global ambassador for City Football Group (CFG) and has been away from management for about six months.

He has not yet decided when he will return to coaching. Taking charge of the United States would offer Guardiola a different challenge as the team prepares for its forthcoming fixtures, while Manchester United continue their efforts to resolve Carrick’s future and appoint his replacement.