Manchester United have opened talks with USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick, according to BBC Sport.
United sit 18th in the Premier League table inside the relegation zone after picking up only eight points from their first 10 matches of the season, winning just once and failing to secure a victory since August, TEAMtalk reported.
Chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox, and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe are scheduled to meet in Monaco on Wednesday to decide Carrick’s future. Berrada and Wilcox are expected to recommend dismissing the head coach, BBC Sport reported.
In the Champions League, Man Utd have won two of their four games, GiveMeSport noted. This campaign has placed the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager under intense pressure following a sequence where United slipped into the Premier League relegation zone for the first time since 1986. Following a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford, the club heads into the international break sitting third from bottom in the standings.
In May 2026, Manchester United had handed Carrick a permanent two-year deal after Champions League qualification. During the summer transfer window in August 2026, Carrick oversaw summer signings including Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos, and Carlos Baleba. He later insisted in September 2026 that his squad had improved once the transfer window closed.
United have already spoken with the representatives of Pochettino. He took charge of the United States national team in September 2024 and signed a new contract in August 2026 to continue in the role until the end of the 2030 World Cup, GiveMeSport and TEAMtalk reported.
The 54-year-old manager has a $10m release clause in his current deal with the USMNT, BBC Sport and GiveMeSport said, providing an exit route should Manchester United decide to go all in and appoint him. The former Argentina defender has previously been spoken to by United on three occasions: when Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2018, in 2022 before Erik ten Hag was appointed, and again when the Dutchman was dismissed in 2024.
“They already had contact with Mauricio Pochettino, so he’s a serious candidate for sure,” Romano said.
Romano added regarding the manager’s contractual situation:
“So, Pochettino could be an option because there is also a clause into his contract,” Romano said, according to Football365.
Romano also said that the Argentine manager is open to taking this opportunity if the club decides to make the move.
While Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was viewed internally by important people at the club as an ideal candidate, United have faced resistance from Aston Villa, where the board and the manager remain fully aligned, Football365 noted, ruling out the Spaniard as an immediate option. Other figures such as Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte, and Fabian Hurzeler have also drawn admirers on the United board during the search.
Earlier coverage: Mauricio Pochettino Is Bookmakers' Favourite to Succeed Michael Carrick
