The Pochettino Man Utd pursuit was over before it ever looked like a race. From the moment Manchester United learned Mauricio Pochettino could be prised from the United States job, he stood alone — the only candidate the club wanted.
That is the Associated Press‘s account of United’s search, published overnight. There was no shortlist — one name, one clause, and one meeting in Monaco.
Pochettino Man Utd pursuit: Emery out of reach, Pochettino the only name
United’s hierarchy had assumed Pochettino was out of reach after his four-year deal in August tied him to the United States through the 2030 World Cup — and believed the same of Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, who also has admirers at Old Trafford.
Emery, though, is under contract and without a release clause, so he was simply not an option. Pochettino was different. Once United learned of a break clause in his new contract — reported at around $10 million — work began in earnest, with due diligence done before Carrick was fired on Thursday.
United knew him well: a leading candidate in 2022, considered again in the summer of 2024, when both sides agreed the timing was wrong so soon after his brief spell at Chelsea — but now, re-energised by the United States’ run to the World Cup round of 16, the timing is right.
The Monaco meeting that decided it
The decision was made on Wednesday, when chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox met minority owner Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco and recommended the change. The pair flew back to Manchester that night.
That same evening, United made its formal approach to U.S. Soccer. Rather than inform Carrick by phone, Berrada and Wilcox told him face to face at the training ground on Thursday morning.
United’s handling drew criticism, with Carrick left waiting until Thursday — though the AP was told no decision could be made until an internal review was done, and Carrick had been kept informed. It is unlikely to have come as a surprise: he was less than six months into a two-year contract, and he had overseen United’s worst start for 40 years — one win in 10 games, leaving the 20-time English champions 18th in the Premier League, in the relegation zone. Another person with knowledge of the decision-making said the results were simply “not acceptable for Manchester United” and a change had to be made.
What happens next for Pochettino and Man Utd
The Athletic reports a two-and-a-half-year deal through 2029, with the announcement expected on Friday. He will first coach the United States in both Haiti legs — Saturday in Miami, then Tuesday in Cincinnati — and ESPN reports he is expected at Carrington by 18 November. Barring a late hitch, his first game in charge will be against Liverpool at Anfield on 22 November.
United States striker Folarin Balogun has said he would prefer Pochettino to stay — and the coach has not addressed the move with his players in camp in Georgia.
He will be United’s eighth permanent manager in 13 years, charged with reviving a club without a Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in 2013. Pochettino won the French title with Paris Saint-Germain and turned Tottenham into a Premier League title challenger, but his one season at Chelsea ended sixth, beaten by Liverpool in the League Cup final, still without a major trophy in England.
For more on United’s season, check today’s predictions. The full agreement, including the reported £7.5 million compensation, is covered in our earlier report on the deal, and the sacking in our report on Carrick’s departure; Rio Ferdinand had already backed Pochettino as his pick earlier in the week.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0, Bryan Berlin) — collage by SportsBuddy.
