Most indications are that Michael Carrick will be fired as Manchester United manager during the ongoing international break. On Wednesday, all the top players will meet in Monaco to reach an agreement.
Mauricio Pochettino has entered the top three candidates to take over, along with Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann.
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The Argentine is currently in charge of the United States men’s national team, and is unlikely to come cheap – he recently extended his contract. At the same time, there is a buyout clause of around $10 million (approximately £7 million), which could make the transfer easier.
It is not the first time Pochettino has been linked with the job at Manchester United. Also in 2022, he was among the strongest challengers, but had to see himself passed over when the choice fell on Erik ten Hag.
Erik ten Hag’s challenges as Manchester United manager
Ten Hag’s time at Old Trafford ultimately ended in failure. Admittedly, it started promisingly, with the League Cup trophy and a third place in the Premier League – but from there it went down markedly in 2023/24.
The club finished the season in eighth place with 60 points, which at the time was their weakest position in the top flight since 1989/90. A surprise FA Cup final win against Manchester City kept him in the job throughout the summer, but he only survived until October before being sacked in 2024 – with the Red Devils in 14th place and 11 points after nine Premier League games.
Fast forward to 2026, and Carrick is on the verge of being sacked: Man Utd have just eight points after ten league games and find themselves in the relegation zone. Once again, Pochettino is being linked with the English giants – but why didn’t the club really strike in 2022?
Man Utd had three qualms about hiring Pochettino
According to reports at the time, Man Utd had three significant concerns about Pochettino, which made Ten Hag a more attractive candidate. Firstly, the Red Devils feared that Real Madrid would strike at the then PSG boss at the last minute. With Ten Hag, who was at Ajax at the time, they clearly felt more secure on the loose.
Secondly, it was simply about money. It was more expensive to lure the Argentine away from PSG than the Dutchman away from the Eredivisie club. Finally, the management at Old Trafford was “extremely impressed” in the meeting with Ten Hag, who clearly laid out his plans for how the club would improve.
The third reason is particularly interesting: Pochettino also faced the Red Devils in the managerial hunt, but obviously did not hit the mark as well in the job interview as Ten Hag. According to The Athletic, the Argentine was nevertheless said to be “confident” of getting an offer – after all, he had been in demand for several years already.
With that in mind, reports claim that the coach was “shocked” when he learned that Man Utd had chosen to hire his Dutch rival instead. It is also worth noting that the Man Utd squad at the time preferred to sign Pochettino.
Four years later, it looks like players like Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and other senior stars who are still at the club can finally get their wish.
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