Mauricio Pochettino is ready to become Manchester United’s next head coach as the Premier League club considers dismissing Michael Carrick following a disappointing start to the season.
United have opened talks with the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager over replacing Carrick, whose future could be decided within the next 48 hours.
BBC report that Pochettino is interested in the Old Trafford job and would welcome a formal approach from the club.
However, the 54-year-old Argentine wants to honour his commitment to the United States Soccer Federation and is waiting for United to formally express their interest before making a decision.
United would reportedly have to pay around $10 million to release him from the contract he signed in August.
His potential departure could also disrupt the United States’ preparations for their upcoming two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against Haiti, scheduled for next week.
Meanwhile, United’s senior officials are expected to meet in Monaco on Wednesday to discuss Carrick’s future and the club’s next move.
Chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe are expected to attend the meeting. Although Berrada and Wilcox travelled to Monaco for a routine strategic discussion, Carrick’s position is expected to dominate the agenda.
The club’s hierarchy is reportedly leaning towards dismissing the 45-year-old following his failure to improve the team’s performances.
United currently sit 18th in the Premier League relegation zone, having won just one of their opening 10 matches. They have also failed to record a league victory since August.
Their poor run represents the club’s worst start to a top-flight campaign at this stage of a season since 1986-87, when they occupied 20th position.
Pochettino has previously been linked with the Manchester United job on three occasions. The club considered appointing him after Jose Mourinho’s departure in 2018, before Erik ten Hag’s arrival in 2022 and following the Dutchman’s exit in 2024.
The Argentine began his Premier League managerial career with Southampton in January 2013 before joining Tottenham in 2014. He spent five years in north London, guiding the club to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final.
He subsequently managed Paris Saint-Germain from January 2021 to July 2022 before taking charge of Chelsea for the 2023-24 campaign.
Pochettino moved into international management in September 2024 after accepting the United States job. He later guided the co-hosts to the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
