Manchester United are finalising a deal to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as their next manager, with personal terms being agreed as the club moves to end Michael Carrick’s troubled reign at Old Trafford.
GIVEMESPORT reports that United are finalising the appointment of the Argentine, who wants the job and has been linked with the role since 2019. The Athletic, via the Evening Standard’s live coverage, corroborates the story, reporting that United spent Tuesday discussing personal terms with Pochettino’s representatives and that no major obstacles are expected.
United are expected to sack Carrick after a disastrous start to the season, and Pochettino has been the clear favourite since Monday evening.
Man Utd Pochettino deal: terms being finalised
Although the club insist no final decision has been made on Carrick’s future yet, a meeting in Monaco led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to recommend his departure today, with a board meeting also scheduled to ratify the exit.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox have already recommended a change, and the Glazer family are said to regard Pochettino as their preferred choice. Carrick is yet to be officially informed of the decision and took training at Carrington on Wednesday morning as usual — though he could be told as early as today.
A final decision may not come until Thursday, around 24 hours before Pochettino is due to face the media ahead of the United States’ Nations League quarter-final against Haiti.
What the Pochettino deal would cost United
Pochettino, 54, signed a new long-term contract with the United States after the 2026 World Cup, running until 2030. GIVEMESPORT understands the deal contains a $10 million release clause — around £7.4 million — which United can trigger to get him in.
It would cost a further $2 million, around £1.5 million, to bring his backroom staff with him, including his long-time assistant Jesus Perez. No formal contact has been made yet with US Soccer, but the process is expected to be straightforward — the only complication is the timing, with the USA facing a two-legged Nations League quarter-final against Haiti during the international break.
Why United are moving now
United sit 18th in the Premier League after just one win from their opening 10 league games, and Carrick has won only three of 15 games in all competitions since being handed a permanent two-year deal in the summer. The 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, rescued by late goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu, only delayed the inevitable.
Pochettino headed a three-man shortlist alongside Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann, but he quickly pulled clear as the favourite. Rio Ferdinand backed him as the pick to replace Carrick, saying he “jumps off the list” — and the former United captain’s judgement looks set to be vindicated.
Pochettino has managed Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League, reached the Champions League final with Spurs, won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and took the United States to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
If the deal is completed as expected, the Argentine’s first game in charge would be the trip to Liverpool on Sunday, 22 November — the toughest possible start. For more on the games ahead, check today’s predictions.
Photo: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) — collage by SportsBuddy
