Some Manchester United players could be left disappointed by the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as manager, with some preferring Unai Emery, according to reports. Pochettino is the frontrunner to take over from Michael Carrick should the current boss be sacked by club chiefs.
The former midfielder looks to be on the verge of leaving, with an announcement expected in the coming days. A meeting over his future is due to take place between chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday.
Pochettino expected to replace Carrick
It is expected that Ratcliffe will be recommended sacking Carrick. Work is already underway to bring Pochettino in as his replacement, with a deal already close to being finalised.
TalkSPORT reports that members of the United squad are now expecting Carrick to be sacked and replaced with Pochettino. That is despite the former taking training at Carrington as normal on Wednesday.
Squad preference for Emery
The report adds that Pochettino is not the first choice among several members of the squad, who instead hoped the club would appoint Aston Villa boss Emery. The Spaniard was one of the names linked a few weeks ago, but he looks set to stay at Villa Park, having led them to Champions League football last season.
He is in talks over a contract extension with Villa, who would have put up a strong fight should United have made an approach.
Pochettino's USA contract and release clause
Pochettino is currently with the USA national team, as they prepare for their Concacaf Nations League quarter-final double-header against Haiti. He is due to speak to the press on Friday.
He signed a new deal with the USA in the summer, which would see him stay with the team until the end of the World Cup in 2030. But that contract has a release clause that United could utilise. The clause means that United will have to pay a fee of around $10 million (£7.5m). That fee will, however, increase should they also wish to take his coaching staff who have followed him from his previous jobs.
