Pochettino Nears Manchester United Exit as U.S. Soccer Seeks Successor
Mauricio Pochettino is expected to leave his post as U.S. men's national team head coach to take over at Manchester United, with the English club set to trigger a buyout clause in his contract reportedly worth nearly $10 million. According to ESPN, United executives have informed U.S. Soccer of their intent to activate the release clause after firing Michael Carrick on Thursday following the club's worst start to a Premier League season.
Carrick's dismissal came less than six months after he signed a two-year contract to revive United, which has not won the Premier League since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Pochettino signed a contract extension with U.S. Soccer in August running through the 2030 World Cup, after guiding the USA to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. According to The Athletic, Pochettino would sign a 2.5-year deal with United through summer 2029, with his first match in charge potentially coming against Liverpool at Anfield on Nov. 22. Bringing his longtime assistant coaches to Manchester would add significantly to the cost of the move. netball online betting
Despite the uncertainty, Pochettino remains with the USMNT at its training center outside Atlanta, preparing for a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti, with games scheduled for Saturday in Miami and next Tuesday in Cincinnati. He is expected to coach both matches regardless of the outcome of the Manchester United talks. Striker Folarin Balogun, who led the U.S. with three goals across four World Cup appearances, praised Pochettino's impact on the team's training intensity and tactical approach.
If Pochettino departs, U.S. Soccer will need a new coach for the 2030 World Cup cycle. The Athletic reports Pep Guardiola, who won six Premier League titles at Manchester City, is considered the federation's top target. Other names under consideration include Nashville SC's B.J. Callaghan, who led Nashville to a record-setting 2026 MLS season and previously guided the USMNT to the 2023 Concacaf Nations League title as interim coach; Red Bull New York's Michael Bradley; U.S. under-23 coach Steve Cherundolo, who won an MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield at LAFC; former Columbus Crew and Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy; and Roberto Martinez, who led Belgium to third place at the 2018 World Cup and coached Portugal at the 2026 tournament before stepping down. United have yet to formally contact U.S. Soccer about Pochettino's release and have the remainder of the international break to finalize a successor.
