Manchester United are poised to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach following the dismissal of Michael Carrick, but the move is reported to have been driven by the Glazer family over the preferences of Ineos officials. The club faces a total outlay of around £12 million to secure the Argentine's services and settle with his predecessor.
Glazers overrule Ineos in manager search
The Red Devils sacked Carrick on Thursday morning after a poor start to the campaign left the club 18th in the Premier League with just one win from 10 fixtures. While Pochettino is widely expected to take charge at Old Trafford in the coming days, it is claimed that Ineos had hoped to appoint Eddie Howe instead, only to be overruled by the Glazers. Howe has been without a club since leaving Newcastle United this summer.
According to the Mail, director of football Jason Wilcox viewed Howe as his top choice, while director of recruitment Christopher Vivell favoured Julian Nagelsmann. Although Ineos supremo Sir Jim Ratcliffe oversees day-to-day footballing matters, the Glazer family retain ultimate authority on major decisions as majority stakeholders. Sources suggest the Glazers have selected their own candidate against the preferences of Wilcox and Vivell, though United deny that Pochettino is a Glazer-driven appointment.
Cost of appointing Pochettino
United have reached an agreement in principle with Pochettino and his representatives, with the 54-year-old set to become the next manager tasked with bringing silverware back to the club. However, several steps must be completed before he arrives. Given his contract with the USMNT runs until 2030, United will need to pay approximately £7.4 million to buy him out of his deal, plus an additional £1.5 million to secure the services of his current backroom team. Combined with the estimated £3 million compensation package due to Carrick for cutting his contract short, the club faces a considerable financial outlay.
Pochettino's delayed arrival
Pochettino is not anticipated to arrive at Carrington until Thursday, November 19 at the earliest due to his obligations with the USMNT, who are preparing for the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals against Haiti. The first match takes place on Saturday, November 14 in Miami, with the second on Wednesday, November 18 in Cincinnati. Pochettino is determined to oversee both encounters, meaning he will not be available to take charge of United until after those fixtures. His delayed arrival is likely to raise concerns among supporters, particularly with a demanding run of games awaiting United after the international break, including clashes against Liverpool, Sporting CP, Brentford, Newcastle United and Coventry City.
