Manchester United Reach Verbal Agreement With Mauricio Pochettino to Replace Michael Carrick as Head Coach

Manchester United have reached a verbal agreement in principle with Mauricio Pochettino to take over as head coach, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in a move that would end Michael Carrick’s time in charge at Old Trafford and take the current United States men’s national team coach back to the Premier League. Here is the full story behind the agreement, what still has to happen before it is confirmed, and what it means for the USMNT.

Old Trafford stadium at dusk with red seats

The short answer: Manchester United have agreed terms in principle with Mauricio Pochettino, 54, to replace Michael Carrick as head coach, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Carrick remains in charge for now — he took training on Wednesday — but is expected to be relieved of his duties before the end of the week, once chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox return from a meeting with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco. Pochettino is still expected to lead the United States in its two CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final matches against Haiti, on Saturday and Wednesday, before taking over at Old Trafford.

What has been agreed

According to Sky Sports, United have reached a verbal agreement in principle with Pochettino, with the deal understood to be in place if the club does indeed part ways with Carrick. The Sports Business Journal, citing Sky Sports News, reported that there are still details to be sorted out with Pochettino’s camp, but that United are “pretty confident that they aren’t going to have any issues.”

The appointment is not yet final. Ratcliffe is expected to make the final decision on Carrick’s future on Wednesday, after meeting Berrada and Wilcox in Monaco, and is expected to ratify Carrick’s departure. United have been in talks with Pochettino’s representatives about personal terms, but the club has yet to speak formally to U.S. Soccer, according to the Sports Business Journal.

Pochettino would become United’s eighth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired 13 years ago, in 2013. The Argentine, 54, has extensive Premier League experience from spells in charge of Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and also coached Paris Saint-Germain.

Why United are making the change now

Carrick’s position has come under serious scrutiny after United’s worst start to a season in 40 years. The club has dropped to 18th place in the Premier League after eight consecutive matches without a win, a run that has left the 20-time English champions closer to the relegation zone than to the title race.

The international break gives United a two-week window to settle the managerial situation. Their next match is against arch-rivals Liverpool on November 22, 2026, and the club are keen to get Pochettino in as soon as possible, while remaining mindful of his commitments to the United States and their CONCACAF Nations League campaign.

The cost of another change is steep. The appointment of Pochettino, plus the cost of sacking Carrick, will take the total the club have spent on hiring and firing managers since Ferguson left in 2013 to more than $133 million, according to the Sports Business Journal.

Football manager standing on the touchline at night

What happens next

The sequence of events is now clear, according to the reporting. First, Ratcliffe meets Berrada and Wilcox in Monaco on Wednesday to decide Carrick’s future. If, as expected, Carrick’s departure is ratified, Pochettino’s appointment is expected to be confirmed afterwards.

Before that, Pochettino is due to hold a press conference on Friday ahead of the United States’ CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final against Haiti. He is still expected to take charge of the USA’s two fixtures against Haiti — on Saturday and the following Wednesday — with United’s hierarchy understood to be happy for him to complete those two games first.

Football Insider reported that Pochettino is set to be followed to Old Trafford by three of his most trusted coaching allies: long-standing assistants Jesús Pérez and Miki D’Agostino, along with goalkeeping coach Toni Jimenez.

What it means for the USMNT

The move would be a major blow for U.S. Soccer. Pochettino signed a contract extension with the United States only three months ago, committing him to the national team through the 2030 World Cup. A move to Manchester would reportedly trigger compensation to U.S. Soccer, with Pochettino understood to have a release clause of around £7 million — roughly $10 million — in his contract. The £7 million figure is not thought to be an issue for United, according to Sky Sports.

U.S. Soccer would then face a sudden search for a new head coach. Fox Sports reported that the federation is expected to make former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola a top target to replace Pochettino if the USMNT coach leaves for Manchester United. Nothing has been confirmed on that front, and Guardiola has not commented publicly.

For American soccer fans, the timing is awkward: Pochettino took the USMNT job to build the team toward the 2026 World Cup cycle and beyond, and his departure would come just as the national team enters a crucial stretch of Nations League fixtures. For context on how quickly big names can move in American sports this week, see our report on Kirk Cousins’ return to the Minnesota Vikings at the NFL trade deadline.

Pochettino’s long road to Old Trafford

This is not the first time United have tried to hire Pochettino. The club have held talks over appointing him on three separate occasions before this one: when Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2018, in 2022 before they appointed Erik ten Hag, and again when Ten Hag was sacked in 2024. Each time, the move fell through. This time, according to Sky Sports, the agreement is in place.

Pochettino’s Premier League record is what makes him such a persistent target. At Tottenham, he took the club to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final and turned them into regular top-four finishers. At Southampton, he built one of the most admired young sides in the league. His spell at Chelsea, from 2023 to 2024, ended in a sixth-place finish and a League Cup final appearance. He has never won a league title in England, and the job at Old Trafford — a club in 18th place, on an eight-match winless run — would be the toughest rebuild of his career.

United fans will also note the timing: the club’s last permanent manager to last more than two full seasons was Ferguson himself, and Pochettino would be the eighth permanent boss in 13 years. For a club that once defined stability, the churn has become the story — and Pochettino’s first task, if confirmed, will be to stop it. For more on Monday night’s big result in American football, read our recap of the Bills’ 23–6 win over the Vikings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Mauricio Pochettino officially been appointed Manchester United head coach?

Not yet. Sky Sports reported on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, that United have reached a verbal agreement in principle with Pochettino. Formal confirmation is expected only after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe decides Michael Carrick’s future at a meeting in Monaco on Wednesday.

When will Pochettino take charge at Old Trafford?

Pochettino is still expected to lead the United States in its two CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final matches against Haiti, on Saturday and the following Wednesday. United are keen to get him in as soon as possible after that, with their next match against Liverpool on November 22, 2026.

How much will Manchester United pay to release Pochettino from his US Soccer contract?

Pochettino is understood to have a release clause of around £7 million, roughly $10 million, in his US Soccer contract, which he extended only three months ago through the 2030 World Cup. Sky Sports reported that the fee is not thought to be an issue for United, although the club had yet to speak formally to U.S. Soccer at the time of the report.

Who will replace Pochettino as USMNT coach?

Nothing has been confirmed. Fox Sports reported that U.S. Soccer is expected to make former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola a top target if Pochettino leaves for Manchester United. Guardiola has not commented on the reports.

Why is Michael Carrick being sacked?

United have made their worst start to a season in 40 years, dropping to 18th place in the Premier League after eight consecutive matches without a win. Carrick took training on Wednesday and officially remains boss, but he is expected to be relieved of his duties before the end of the week.

How many managers have Manchester United had since Sir Alex Ferguson retired?

Pochettino would become United’s eighth permanent manager since Ferguson retired in 2013. The club have spent more than $133 million on hiring and firing managers in that period, according to the Sports Business Journal.

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