Manchester United are advancing in talks with Mauricio Pochettino as they prepare to appoint the Argentine as Michael Carrick’s replacement as head coach.
United chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are in Monaco for a meeting with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that is expected to lead to Carrick being sacked after 10 months in charge.
United insist that no final decision has been made, but it is understood that the club are now finalising a deal with Pochettino for the 54-year-old to leave his role with the US national team and take over at Old Trafford. Bookmakers Betfair have suspended betting on the next United manager.
Pochettino’s contract with the US Soccer Federation, which was renewed after the World Cup in the summer, means that United will have to pay £7million in compensation.
The former Tottenham, Chelsea and Southampton boss is currently busy at the US national team base south of Atlanta preparing for a CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final double header against Haiti, but it is known that he would like to return to the Premier League.
Pochettino was strongly linked with the United job before the club appointed Erik ten Hag in 2022 and again when he was under pressure two years later.
US men’s coach Mauricio Pochettino is United’s choice to take over at Old Trafford
Michael Carrick is pictured arriving at Manchester United’s training ground this morning
Carrick checked in at Carrington at 7.45am on Wednesday with his fate in the balance
Pochettino is pictured working on United States national team duty on Tuesday (Source: X/USMNT)
Berrada and Wilcox flew to the south of France on Tuesday to attend a scheduled summit of Ineos executives. They will make their recommendation to Ratcliffe today, with all the indications pointing to Carrick paying the price for his team’s alarming descent into the Premier League relegation zone. Co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer would still need to give their approval for the sacking.
It’s understood that the Old Trafford hierarchy would want to inform Carrick of their decision face to face, so there may not be any official confirmation from the club until Thursday.
The 45-year-old turned up for work at Carrington at 7.45am on Wednesday morning to oversee training with the players who are not away on international duty amid increasing uncertainty.
Sacking Carrick would leave United searching for their third permanent head coach this year after he replaced Ruben Amorim in January, and push the compensation paid out to coaching staff and executives over the last three years under minority owner Ratcliffe and Ineos close to £30m.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are meeting in Monaco for talks today
The United execs meet in Monaco today (Pictured is the Casino Monte-Carlo in Monaco)
Carrick was only handed a two-year contract in May and would be due a pay-off from United who have already spent £22.7m in compensation since 2024.
It includes £10.4m to Ten Hag and his staff when the Dutchman was sacked four months after being given a contract extension, £4.1m to Dan Ashworth who lasted just 159 days as sporting director, and £8.2m to Amorim and his backroom team when they left after 14 months.
It would have been as high as £16.7m but United saved half of that figure when the Portuguese coach returned to work at AC Milan.
It’s unclear what would happen to Carrick’s backroom staff. Goalkeeper coach Craig Mawson was already at the club when Carrick arrived and would be likely to stay, along with Travis Binnion who moved up to first-team coach after working with United’s age-group teams.
Jonny Evans had just left his role as loans manager, but returned to work alongside his old United teammate as part of a new coaching team that includes Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate.
Yesterday, United legend Teddy Sheringham placed the blame on two players for Carrick’s seemingly imminent exit after their chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.
‘I feel like this Manchester United team doesn’t know whether they are supposed to be pressing or dropping off,’ he told BOYLE Sports. ‘I don’t think they know what they’re supposed to be doing from the first minute because even the little things are missing, for me.
‘When the ball was played out to Harry Magurie against Aston Villa, who is a senior pro, he heads it but doesn’t really head it out or head it to a teammate and it goes out of play and from there they take a quick throw. It’s such a weird way to start a game.
‘The goalkeeper, Senne Lammens, looks nervous to me as well. He makes mistake after mistake after it puts you on the backfoot straight away. The way they reacted after going behind is good, it shows they’re still fighting, but you can’t carry on like this as Manchester United.’
It’s unclear what would happen to Carrick’s backroom staff. Goalkeeper coach Craig Mawson was already at the club when Carrick arrived and would be likely to stay, along with Travis Binnion who moved up to first-team coach after working with United’s age-group teams.
Jonny Evans had just left his role as loans manager, but returned to work alongside his old United teammate as part of a new coaching team that includes Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate.
