Manchester United have opened talks with USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino about taking charge at Old Trafford, with Michael Carrick expected to lose his job this week.
Carrick’s future will be decided at a meeting in Monaco on Wednesday, attended by chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Berrada and Wilcox are expected to recommend that the head coach is replaced.
Berrada and Wilcox flew to Monaco for one of their regular strategy meetings, but this time Carrick’s position is the main item on the agenda. Discussions with Pochettino over a return to the Premier League are already under way.
- United are 18th in the Premier League after 10 games
- One league win all season, and none since August
- Pochettino has a $10m (£7.5m) release clause with the USA
- United have spoken to him about the job three times before
United’s worst start in 40 years
United sit inside the relegation zone after winning just one of their opening 10 league matches. It is the club’s lowest position at this stage of a top-flight season since 1986-87, when they were bottom of the First Division.
That campaign cost Ron Atkinson his job in November 1986 and brought Sir Alex Ferguson to Old Trafford. Forty years on, United face another November decision with the season already slipping away.
Carrick survived crisis talks after a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth in October, and a dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford before the international break looked to have bought him time. It now appears the board has seen enough.
Fourth time lucky for Pochettino?
Pochettino and United have a long history of near misses. The club spoke to the Argentine when Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2018, again in 2022 before Erik ten Hag was appointed, and once more when Ten Hag was dismissed in 2024. He was also heavily linked in 2021 while in charge of Paris Saint-Germain.
The 54-year-old former Argentina defender built his reputation at Southampton and Tottenham, guiding Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final. He went on to win Ligue 1 with PSG before a single season at Chelsea in 2023-24.
The USA obstacle
Prising Pochettino away will not be straightforward. He renewed his contract with the USA in August, and his side face Haiti in a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarter-final over the next week.
His $10m (£7.5m) release clause is modest by Premier League standards, but the timing of any move is complicated by those international fixtures. United will be keen to have a new head coach in place quickly to begin the climb away from the bottom three.
Carrick took charge in January 2026 following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal. If, as expected, he is removed this week, United will be searching for their sixth permanent manager since Ferguson retired in 2013.
Frequently asked questions
Here are quick answers to the main questions about Manchester United’s managerial situation.
Who is set to replace Michael Carrick at Manchester United?
USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Manchester United have opened talks with him about replacing Carrick, who is expected to lose his job this week.
How much would Pochettino cost Manchester United?
Pochettino has a $10m (£7.5m) release clause in his USA contract, which he renewed in August 2026.
Where are Manchester United in the Premier League table?
United are 18th, inside the relegation zone, after winning one of their first 10 games. It is their lowest position at this stage of a top-flight season since 1986-87.
Have Manchester United tried to appoint Pochettino before?
Yes. United spoke to him about the job in 2018, 2022 and 2024, but appointed other managers each time.
Source: BBC Sport. This story is developing and will be updated.
About the author: Ben Jardine
Ben Jardine is the managing editor of My Football Facts and has covered football since 2014. He writes across football statistics, history and current affairs, from all-time records and World Cup deep dives to live transfer-window coverage, with a focus on rigorously fact-checked, data-led analysis. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.