Manchester United in talks to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as Michael Carrick exit nears

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to replace Michael Carrick as Manchester United coach, with negotiations between the club and the Argentine progressing and the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager keen on the role.

Manchester United have accelerated plans to end Carrick’s turbulent spell in charge after transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that talks with Pochettino had advanced. The 53-year-old is now the leading candidate to take over at Old Trafford.

Carrick took first-team training at Carrington on Monday despite the growing expectation that he would be dismissed. His position became increasingly difficult to defend after Sunday’s chaotic 4-4 home draw with Aston Villa.

United had briefly appeared to recover from their 2-0 defeat by Chelsea with an impressive comeback against Roma in Europe. However, the draw with Aston Villa exposed continuing defensive and structural problems.

The result left Manchester United 18th in the Premier League and in the relegation zone going into the international break. They have won only one of their opening 10 league matches.

The defensive uncertainty, alongside growing tension between captain Bruno Fernandes and the coaching staff over tactical direction, persuaded chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that a change was needed before the season deteriorated further.

Pochettino’s record and United’s concerns

Pochettino’s five-year tenure at Tottenham Hotspur is central to his appeal for Ineos. Between 2014 and 2019, he rebuilt an underachieving side into Premier League title contenders, secured four successive top-four finishes and led the club to their first Champions League final.

He achieved that while operating on a limited budget and helped develop players including Harry Kane and Son Heung-min into leading figures.

His more recent experience at Chelsea is viewed as a warning about the challenges of working within a complex club structure. During his only season at Stamford Bridge, in 2023-24, Pochettino guided an injury-hit squad through two extended domestic cup runs and a five-match winning sequence that secured sixth place.

He left after 11 months by mutual consent following disagreements with the club’s sporting directors over recruitment policy and the division of authority among executives.

The major obstacle to his appointment is now financial and administrative. Manchester United would need to activate a release clause in Pochettino’s contract with US Soccer, worth approximately $10m (about R164.4m). The club would also have to provide further compensation for members of his coaching team, including long-term assistant Jesus Perez.

Negotiations must also account for the timing of Pochettino’s departure from the US Men’s National Soccer Team. He led the side to the round of 16 at the recent World Cup on home soil, and the team has upcoming Concacaf fixtures.

Pochettino is ready to return to English club football, while Ineos regards the buyout as a necessary expense in the fight to avoid Premier League relegation. If an agreement is completed, he could take charge for Manchester United’s major away fixture against arch-rivals Liverpool after the international break.