Manchester United sacked manager Michael Carrick on Thursday following a dismal run that leaves the club 18th in the Premier League table with only one victory from their first ten matches.
That decision places the club under immense pressure as they sit firmly in the relegation zone, a startling fall for a side that Carrick guided into the UEFA Champions League just last season after taking over on an interim basis. Sources close to the club indicate that former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is the primary target to take over the managerial reins at Old Trafford.
For Pochettino, the vacancy represents a long-standing pursuit that dates back nearly a decade. His initial link to the club materialized in 2016 following the dismissal of Louis van Gaal, when the Argentine manager dined with Sir Alex Ferguson to discuss the position before José Mourinho ultimately took charge.
Subsequent openings at Old Trafford saw Pochettino approached or heavily linked on four additional occasions prior to the appointments of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag, Rúben Amorim, and Carrick. If appointed, he would become the eighth permanent or interim manager tasked with stabilizing the club since Ferguson retired in 2013.
Structural flaws behind managerial churn
One of the club’s legends, Cristiano Ronaldo, described the situation of the entity before leaving.
“Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club,” Ronaldo described before leaving the club, adding that he felt betrayed.
Current team captain Lisandro Martínez also highlighted deep-rooted issues within the organization following a 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium. Martínez admitted that the result mirrored the current state of the club and questioned the decision-making process coming from the executive offices.
“The defeat is a reflection, a mirror of how our club is,” Martínez told reporters after the match, before pointing out the repetitive cycle of changing managers while ignoring broader operational failures.
Previous managers have also warned of the massive rebuilding job required at the club. Ralf Rangnick, who served as interim manager after Solskjaer’s exit, famously characterized the necessary overhaul as open-heart surgery rather than a series of cosmetic adjustments. The German coach ultimately departed by mutual agreement to take charge of the Austrian national team rather than transition into an advisory role as initially planned.
Pochettino manages United States before potential Manchester United move
Pochettino currently serves as head coach of the United States men’s national team, a position he assumed in September 2024. His tenure with the national side included reaching the knockout rounds of the recent World Cup before a 4-1 elimination against Belgium in the round of 16.
Reports indicate that any move to Manchester United would require compensation for his contract, which runs through the 2030 World Cup. Before any potential unveiling at Old Trafford, Pochettino is expected to manage the United States in two friendly fixtures against Haiti on November 14 and November 17.
Should negotiations conclude swiftly, his first test in English football’s top flight would arrive on November 22, when Manchester United travels to Anfield to face arch-rivals Liverpool.
Worth a look
