Mauricio Pochettino set for Man Utd job after Michael Carrick exit

Mauricio Pochettino, currently coach of the USA national team, is poised to finalize his long-awaited move to Manchester United to succeed Michael Carrick. The decision follows a summit meeting in Monaco regarding the expected departure of Carrick, effectively turning a decade-long courtship that began with a lunch meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson in Mayfair back in 2016 into a formal relationship.

Pochettino's name has constantly orbited Old Trafford over the years, having been considered to succeed Louis van Gaal in 2016, Jose Mourinho in 2018, Erik ten Hag in April 2022, and again when the Dutch manager was dismissed in October 2024. Now, as Carrick faces his inevitable departure, the Argentine coach is finally set to inherit the reins.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

The immediate challenge for Pochettino is a crumbling footballing empire, described as a Frankenstein's monster of a squad assembled by six different managers amidst years of questionable decision-making. Quirky reports have previously noted Pochettino's use of lemons to absorb negative energy in his office, and he will certainly need industrial-strength quantities to clear the gloom at Old Trafford.

The departure of 45-year-old Carrick has sparked criticism over its heavy-handed execution by part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada, and director of football Jason Wilcox. Despite Carrick's stellar playing career and good intentions, his struggles as permanent head coach have left the fanbase increasingly disaffected and vocal about the club's direction.