Manchester United co-chairman Avram Glazer has given the green light for Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick as head coach, with sources telling The Sun the deal is now “effectively done” — and United have made formal contact with the United States Soccer Federation to release the Argentine from his contract.
Glazer signed off the appointment on Wednesday evening via a remote call from the United States, according to The Sun, and United have now approached US Soccer to discuss releasing Pochettino from his role as head coach of the United States men’s national team. The federation require £7.4 million (about $10 million) to release him, the figure set in the contract extension Pochettino signed only three months ago, which ties him to the national team through the 2030 World Cup.
Avram Glazer Pochettino green light: what we know
The formal approach to US Soccer is the step that was still missing on Wednesday morning. United had already reached a verbal agreement in principle with Pochettino himself, with personal terms discussed on Tuesday, but had not yet contacted the federation. The Athletic, via gistreel, reports that United have now approached US Soccer to discuss the release, with chief executive Omar Berrada leading the negotiations.
TEAMtalk reports that Pochettino wants four key members of his backroom team to follow him to Old Trafford — long-standing assistant Jesus Perez, assistant coach Miguel “Miki” D’Agostino, goalkeeping coach Antonio “Toni” Jiménez and sports scientist Sebastiano Pochettino. The total compensation bill would rise to more than £10.5 million once the staff are included, on top of a release clause of around £7.5 million for Pochettino himself. TEAMtalk also reports that Pochettino is expected to be in the United dugout for the trip to Liverpool on Sunday 22 November.
What happens to Carrick now
Carrick remains in post and took training at Carrington again on Wednesday morning, but he is expected to be formally informed on Thursday that he has been sacked. Journalist Ben Jacobs posted on X: “Michael Carrick is expected to be formally informed on Thursday he has been sacked. Mauricio Pochettino has already agreed terms to replace him.” The Monaco meeting on Wednesday, involving co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, is expected to ratify the decision, with the Glazer family also attending.
United sit 18th in the Premier League with eight points from 10 games — one win, and an eight-match winless run that is their worst start to a season in 40 years. It is also their lowest position 10 games into a top-flight season since 1986/87. Carrick, 45, was hired on a permanent basis in the close season after leading United to a third-place finish during his spell as interim boss, having taken over when Ruben Amorim was sacked in January. As things stand, Pochettino is still due to coach the United States against Haiti on Saturday, with his pre-match press conference scheduled for Friday.
Pochettino’s record — and the backing he already has
Pochettino brings extensive Premier League experience from spells at Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea. At Spurs he delivered three successive top-three finishes and a run to the 2019 Champions League final. He has been linked with the Old Trafford job on several previous occasions, and the backing is already public: Harry Kane endorsed him at England’s press conference on Wednesday, saying “I can’t speak highly enough of him”, and Rio Ferdinand has already backed him as the man to take over.
If the Monaco meeting goes as expected, Pochettino’s return to the Premier League will be confirmed within days — and United’s worst start in four decades will have a new man in charge before the trip to Anfield. For more on the fixtures ahead, check today’s predictions.
Photo: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) — collage by SportsBuddy
