Mauricio Pochettino to Manchester United: Carrick Decision Nears as Talks Advance
Manchester United look to be moving towards another managerial change, and this time the picture is unusually clear. According to BBC Sport, Mauricio Pochettino is prepared to step in if the call comes, with Michael Carrick now appearing to be on borrowed time at Old Trafford.
The key line is simple and significant: “Mauricio Pochettino is ready to accept an offer from Manchester United to become their next head coach.” That tells you plenty. There is no dancing around it, no vague briefing, no polite distancing. If United decide to move, the man they want is open to taking it.
United have already “opened talks with the Argentine about him potentially replacing Michael Carrick”, and that alone says Carrick’s position is effectively hanging by a thread. Clubs do not hold serious conversations with a replacement unless they are well down the road of deciding the current man is done.
Pochettino talks show Manchester United intent
Pochettino currently manages the United States national team, but the report states that “sources have told BBC Sport that USA manager Pochettino wants to take the job.” Again, this is not complicated. He sees Manchester United as a major opening and, by the sounds of it, one worth leaving an international post for after only a short time in charge.
There is a financial element too. United would need to pay “$10m (£7.5m) to release Pochettino from his contract”, a fee that is notable but hardly prohibitive for a club of this size. If United believe he is the right fit, that number will not be the obstacle.
The report also notes that “US Soccer officials are expecting an official approach from United” and already have “a contingency plan for their manager leaving, which includes a succession plan.” That matters. It suggests this is not speculative noise. People on the American side are preparing for the possibility that Pochettino goes.
There is a practical issue around timing. The USA have a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against Haiti, but the report says that, with the succession planning in place, “it raises the possibility that Pochettino may not take charge of those games.” In other words, if United accelerate, this could move quickly.
Michael Carrick under pressure after dreadful start
This is the backdrop that has forced United into action. They are 18th in the Premier League, in the relegation zone, after one win in ten and no victories since August. The article points out that “It is the club’s lowest position at this stage of a top-flight season since 1986-87, when they were 20th.” For Manchester United, that is beyond poor. It is a crisis by any sensible standard.
Carrick’s future is expected to be decided at a meeting in Monaco involving chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The report adds, “It is expected that Berrada and Wilcox’s recommendation is for the head coach to go.” That is about as strong a signal as you can get before the formal announcement lands.
It also underlines how modern football works. BBC Sport’s analysis is honest on that point, saying, “While it may seem a touch immoral for Manchester United to be talking to a potential new manager before they have decided if their current one is staying or not, this kind of situation is not uncommon in football.” Correct. Clubs line up the next man before pulling the trigger on the current one because that is how they minimise chaos, even if it still looks chaotic from the outside.
Why Pochettino keeps returning to Old Trafford frame
This is not a random link. United have admired Pochettino for years. They have spoken to him on three previous occasions, after Jose Mourinho’s exit in 2018, before appointing Erik ten Hag in 2022, and again when the Dutchman left in 2024. He has been in the orbit for a long time.
His CV explains why. He knows the Premier League through Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea, and he also handled the pressure of Paris Saint-Germain. He is not flawless, and he is not some miracle worker, but he is experienced, high-profile and familiar with the demands of big jobs. For a club looking for a reset mid-crisis, those traits carry weight.
Perhaps the most telling line in the whole piece is this: “Pochettino, 54, is understood to view the prospect of managing United as a serious opportunity, with the expectation being he would accept the job were it formally offered.” That is where this stands. The interest is real, the terms are reportedly close, and the delay seems to be about process rather than doubt.
BBC Sport’s analysis goes further, saying, “I have been told by one source the Pochettino terms to join United are more or less agreed.” If that is accurate, then the remaining question is not whether United like him, it is whether the club are ready to finalise Carrick’s exit and push the button.
There are still loose ends. BBC Sport acknowledges that “There are a lot of gaps to fill in yet, not least whether Carrick will be dismissed or not.” Fair enough. Until that part is settled, nothing is official. Still, the direction of travel is obvious. United are preparing for change, and Pochettino is at the front of the queue.
Our View
This feels overdue. Nobody at Old Trafford should be pretending 18th place is acceptable, and nobody should be sentimental about a start this bad. One win in ten and no league win since August is enough evidence. If the decision-makers have concluded Carrick cannot turn it around, then act decisively and stop dragging it out.
Pochettino makes sense. He knows the Premier League, he has handled huge dressing rooms, and he has been on United’s radar for years. That matters because this club has wasted enough time bouncing between short-term fixes and half-committed plans. If the report is right that the terms are “more or less agreed”, then finish the job and move forward.
There is also something reassuring in the fact he actively wants it. Manchester United should still be a destination job, and hearing that he is “ready to accept an offer” is the sort of line supporters want to read. The club need a head coach with authority, clarity and a proper framework. They also need somebody who will not be overwhelmed by the scale of the rebuilding task.
No one sensible should think one appointment solves everything. The squad still has issues, the structure still has to function, and results will not magically fix themselves. But this would at least be a serious step. The club need competence, order and urgency. Right now, that sounds a lot better than more drift.
Source: BBC Sport
