Mauricio Pochettino Manchester United head coach talks, Digi Mart USA News: Mauricio Pochettino is ready to accept an offer from Manchester United to become their next head coach, according to BBC Sport. United have opened talks with the Argentine about potentially replacing Michael Carrick, who is expected to be relieved of his duties within the next 48 hours.
Once Carrick’s future is clarified, sources have told BBC Sport that Pochettino, who is currently USA manager, wants to take the job. The former Tottenham and Chelsea boss wants to remain respectful to the US Soccer Federation and will wait for United to make an official approach.
The Red Devils would be required to pay $10m (£7.5m) to release Pochettino from his contract, which he only signed in August. The USA have a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against Haiti over the next week, meaning the timing could make things awkward, particularly if Pochettino, 54, were to leave midway through the current camp.
He views the prospect of managing United as a serious opportunity, with the expectation that he would accept the job if it were formally offered. United have previously spoken to the ex-Argentina defender about their managerial position on three occasions: when Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2018, in 2022 before the club appointed Erik ten Hag, and again when the Dutchman was sacked in 2024.
Carrick’s future at United will be decided at a meeting in Monaco on Wednesday, attended by chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Berrada and Wilcox are expected to recommend that the head coach leave the club, according to the report.
Carrick, 45, was pictured arriving at the club’s Carrington training base on Wednesday. United are 18th in the Premier League, inside the relegation zone, after winning just one of their first 10 games and none since August.
It is the club’s lowest position at this stage of a top-flight season since 1986-87, when they were 20th.
Pochettino’s first job in the Premier League was at Southampton from January 2013, followed by a five-year stint at Tottenham from 2014 that included a Champions League final appearance. He managed Paris St-Germain from January 2021 to July 2022 before spending the 2023-24 season in charge of Chelsea.
He took the USA job in September 2024 and led the co-hosts to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
The report notes that such situations are not uncommon in football. Talks with potential managers before a current coach’s position is resolved have occurred before, including Mourinho’s agreement with United in 2016 before Louis van Gaal was sacked, and Roberto Mancini’s appointment at Manchester City in 2009 while Mark Hughes was still in charge.
According to one source cited in the report, the terms for Pochettino to join United are more or less agreed. If United decide to proceed, they could also determine whether he remains with the USA team for their matches against Haiti.
A decision on Carrick is expected on Wednesday, with the rest of the situation likely to become clearer afterward.
