Silvia Toya Vinas set to break new ground in Mauricio Pochettino’s Manchester United staff

Manchester United are set to appoint Silvia Toya Vinas as part of Mauricio Pochettino’s coaching team, making her the first woman to work within the club’s football staff in its more than century-long history.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola, citing The Guardian, reports that the Spanish specialist will join Pochettino at Old Trafford alongside four other members of his United States coaching team.

The new backroom staff is expected to include assistant coach Jesus Perez, Miguel D’Agostino, goalkeeping coach Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino, the manager’s son and a specialist in sports science. All have worked with Pochettino for several years and are expected to continue in his team at Manchester United.

The United States Soccer Federation has confirmed that Pochettino and his coaching staff have ended their association with the national team ahead of their move to the English club. The Argentine is due to begin work at Manchester United on 18 November.

His first match is scheduled to be against Liverpool, with Manchester United travelling to Anfield on 22 November for a difficult opening Premier League fixture.

Toya’s experience

Toya is 46 and holds a doctorate in sports science. She has also worked in academia, teaching at the National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia and the University of Barcelona, while specialising professionally in physical preparation.

At club level, she worked in fitness and conditioning with Levante’s women’s team, who compete in Liga F, Spain’s top division in women’s football. That role gave her experience of preparing players for the demands of elite women’s competition.

Toya joined the United States men’s national team coaching staff in October 2024 during Pochettino’s tenure. Her appointment made her the first woman to be officially registered as part of the coaching staff of the United States men’s team.

Pochettino’s arrival follows the dismissal of former Manchester United manager Michael Carrick after a disastrous start to the season. United had won only one of their first 10 Premier League matches, leaving them 18th in the table, the first relegation place, with eight points.

In the Champions League, United are 17th in the league phase with six points from two wins and two defeats. They began with a convincing 4-0 victory over Azerbaijan’s Sabah before losing 2-0 to Atletico Madrid and 4-1 to Como. A 3-2 win over Roma in the fourth round moved them on to six points.

United are only two points above 25th place, the final position guaranteeing safety in the competition. They face Sporting Lisbon on 25 November, followed by decisive fixtures against Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Villarreal, leaving Pochettino with a demanding task to secure qualification.