The United States have called off Wednesday’s planned media session as Manchester United move closer to appointing Mauricio Pochettino as their next head coach.
Daily Mail Sport understands that negotiations with Pochettino are progressing, with United preparing to name the Argentine as Michael Carrick’s successor.
United chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox are in Monaco for talks with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Their meeting is expected to pave the way for Carrick’s dismissal after 10 months in charge.
Although United maintain that no final decision has been reached, the club are understood to be completing an agreement for Pochettino to leave his position with the US national team and return to the Premier League at Old Trafford. Betfair have suspended betting on the identity of United’s next manager.
US Soccer said Wednesday’s player media duties had been cancelled to mark Veterans Day, meaning Pochettino’s squad would not be required to address reports about his possible departure. The former Tottenham, Chelsea and Southampton manager nevertheless led training as normal.
Pochettino signed a renewed contract with the US Soccer Federation after the World Cup this summer, so Manchester United are expected to pay around £7million in compensation to secure his release.
The 54-year-old is currently based south of Atlanta, where he is preparing the United States for a CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final double-header against Haiti. However, Pochettino is known to be keen on a return to English football.
He was previously considered for the Manchester United job before Erik ten Hag was appointed in 2022 and was linked with the role again when the Dutchman came under pressure two years later.
US men’s head coach Mauricio Pochettino is United’s preferred choice for Old Trafford, although he took the United States session as usual on Wednesday
Pochettino, who has managed Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea, is the leading contender to replace Michael Carrick
Carrick arrived at Carrington at 7.45am on Wednesday as his position remained uncertain
The Manchester United manager was seen leaving the training ground at approximately 1.15pm
Pochettino was pictured working with the United States squad on Tuesday (Source: X/USMNT)
Berrada and Wilcox travelled to the south of France on Tuesday for a scheduled meeting of Ineos executives. They are expected to present their recommendation to Ratcliffe today, with growing signs that Carrick will be held responsible for United’s alarming slide towards the Premier League relegation zone. Co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer would still have to approve the decision to dismiss him.
United’s senior officials are believed to want to deliver the news to Carrick in person, meaning the club may not formally announce his departure until Thursday.
The 45-year-old arrived at Carrington shortly before 8am on Wednesday to supervise a training session for players who were not away on international duty. He left the complex at about 1.15pm as uncertainty over his future continued to grow.
If Carrick is dismissed, Manchester United will be searching for their third permanent head coach this year, having appointed him to replace Ruben Amorim in January. The decision would also take the compensation paid to coaches and executives under Ratcliffe and Ineos over the past three years close to £30m.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are meeting in Monaco for talks over the club’s next steps
United’s executives are holding talks in Monaco, pictured here is the Casino Monte-Carlo
Carrick signed a two-year contract as recently as May and would be entitled to a severance payment from United, who have already paid £22.7m in compensation since 2024.
That total includes £10.4m paid to Ten Hag and his staff after the Dutchman was dismissed just four months after receiving a contract extension. United also paid £4.1m to Dan Ashworth, whose spell as sporting director lasted only 159 days, and £8.2m to Amorim and his coaching staff when they departed after 14 months.
The figure could have reached £16.7m, but United avoided paying half of that amount after the Portuguese coach returned to work with AC Milan.
The future of Carrick’s coaching staff remains uncertain. Goalkeeping coach Craig Mawson was already employed by United before Carrick’s arrival and could remain at the club, while Travis Binnion may also stay after stepping up from the academy to become a first-team coach.
Jonny Evans had only recently left his position as loans manager but returned to the club to work alongside his former United teammate. The new coaching group also includes Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate.
Manchester United great Teddy Sheringham has blamed two players for Carrick’s seemingly imminent departure following Sunday’s chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa.
“I feel like this Manchester United team doesn’t know whether it should be pressing or dropping off,” he told BOYLE Sports. “It seems as though they are unsure of what they are meant to do from the opening minute, because even the basic details are missing.
“When the ball was played to Harry Maguire against Aston Villa, he is an experienced player, but he headed it without directing it out of play or towards a teammate. It went out, they took a quick throw-in and that was a very strange way to begin the match.
“Senne Lammens also looks nervous to me. He makes mistake after mistake, and that immediately puts the team on the back foot. Their response after falling behind showed they are still fighting, but Manchester United cannot continue performing like this.”
