United States men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino is the favoured candidate to replace Michael Carrick as Manchester United manager with the club ready to fire the 45-year-old due to growing alarm over the team dropping into the Premier League relegation zone, sources have told ESPN.
The United hierarchy, led by co-chairman Joel Glazer, minority owner Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, are assessing Carrick’s position after the club’s worst-ever start to a Premier League season left United just one point off the bottom of the table having won once in 10 league games to date.
While sources have said discussions are ongoing and will continue over the coming days, they have also told ESPN that there is now acceptance that performances and results demand a change of manager.
– Ogden: Ratcliffe chose to appoint rookies at Man United, and it has them facing relegation fight
Pochettino, 54, extended his contract with the USSF until 2030 in August after guiding the United States to the Round of 16 at the World Cup this summer.
According to multiple reports, the former Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach has an escape clause in his new contract which would prevent United from having to pay a significant compensation fee for the Argentine’s services.
Former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is another candidate admired by United bosses. Julian Nagelsmann, who is also currently out of work, is among the options and Kieran McKenna, who was interviewed for the job in 2024, has supporters at Old Trafford.
But it is Pochettino — who has been interviewed for the United job on three previous occasions — who is regarded as having the Premier League experience and personality needed to drag United out of danger and revive the club’s fortunes.
Carrick signed a two-year contract at United in the summer after guiding the club to Champions League qualification following his arrival as interim manager in January.
Sources have said that United believe Carrick, whose only previous managerial experience was with Championship team Middlesbrough, merited a permanent deal after his success at Old Trafford last season.
But senior figures have been shocked by the drop in performances and results this season and after giving the former United midfielder time to turn the situation last month, Carrick has only been able to win one of four games since his reprieve and sources have said that his prospects are now increasingly bleak.
United are next in action against Liverpool at Anfield on Nov. 22.
– Neville on Carrick’s Man United future: ‘Ownership don’t have a clue’
