Manchester United would have to pay millions to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as Michael Carrick's successor. Pochettino has emerged as one of the leading contenders as United draw up a shortlist of options to replace Carrick.
Club chiefs Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox have decided to sack Carrick, with United sitting 18th in the Premier League with eight points from their opening 10 matches. Berrada and Wilcox are set to meet INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe to make a decision during the current international break.
Pochettino's contract complications
Former Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea boss Pochettino is one of the candidates for the job, along with Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte. While Howe, Nagelsmann and Conte are all available, Pochettino's appointment would be more complicated. The 54-year-old is the head coach of the United States, having signed a new deal after this summer's World Cup which runs until 2030.
However, that deal does include a buyout clause which would make a deal possible. Pochettino, who has been considered by United several times in the past, insisted on an exit clause for a high-profile job. The Athletic reports that his clause stands at around $10million (£7.4m), although many more millions would be required to release Pochettino's coaching staff. It represents a significant expense for United, who already face having to pay Carrick off just 172 days after handing him a two-year contract.
Pochettino open to talks
Pochettino is open to talks with United, despite currently being busy preparing for the USA's Concacaf Nations League quarter-final matches against Haiti. He has openly courted a return to the Premier League, but has also insisted he is committed to the USA.
“Every time we sign a contract, it’s to go to the last day of the contract,” Pochettino said after signing the new deal in August. “If we sign a four-year contract, we need to think to arrive there. And we signed the contract because we really believe that we are going to be four years there. Because if not, it’s bad. If we don’t believe in that process, if we don’t believe in that journey, why (would) we sign four years? Only to be sure that we are going to receive a salary on the end of the month? That is not nice. It’s not the way that we think. We really signed that contract because we really believe that we can arrive to the end.”
