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United States men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino appears to be Manchester bound.

Manchester United are finalizing a deal to hire Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach, if the club decides to sack club legend Michael Carrick following his 1W-5D-4L start to the Premier League season as manager, according to a report from The Athletic on Wednesday.

The move comes less than three months after Pochettino signed a four-year contract extension with U.S. Soccer in August, following the USA’s run to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

To get him out of that deal, United is expected to trigger Pochettino’s buyout clause, which is reportedly worth around $10 million. United and U.S. Soccer have yet to make official contact, according to The Athletic’s reporting.

Pochettino inherits a club in crisis. United sit in the Premier League’s relegation zone after a dismal start to the season under Carrick. United has not been relegated since the 1973-74 season. 

Carrick, a former United midfielder, was named permanent manager this past offseason after impressing as interim boss following Ruben Amorim’s sacking in January. His permanent tenure lasted less than six months.

Pochettino’s first match in charge could be one of the toughest on the calendar. United return from the international break against Liverpool on Nov. 22.

The 54-year-old Argentine is no stranger to the Premier League. He led Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 Champions League final and later managed Chelsea for the 2023-24 season. He also won a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain. 

Pochettino took over the national team in September 2024. His departure leaves U.S. Soccer searching for a new coach ahead of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, with matches against Haiti on Nov. 14 and 17 in the United States.