MAURICIO Pochettino is ready to accept an offer from Manchester United to become their next head coach.
United have opened talks with the Argentine about him potentially replacing Michael Carrick, who is expected to be relieved of his duties in the next 48 hours.
Once Carrick’s future is clarified, sources have told BBC Sport that USA manager Pochettino 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.
That means the timing of developments at Old Trafford could make things awkward, particularly if Pochettino, 54, was to leave midway through the current camp.
But he views the prospect of managing United as a serious opportunity, with the expectation being he would accept the job were it formally offered.
United have spoken to the ex-Argentina defender about their managerial position on three previous occasions — when Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2018, then 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 that will be attended by chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Berrada and Wilcox have flown to Monaco for one of their regular, planned meetings to discuss strategy around the football club.
On this occasion, the main issue to be decided is Carrick’s future and what should happen next.
It is expected that Berrada and Wilcox’s recommendation is for the head coach to go.
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, before 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.
Pochettino moved into international football by taking the USA job in September 2024, and led the co-hosts to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
BBC
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