Manchester United are poised to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach as soon as next Thursday, with Avram Glazer reportedly giving the green light to the move. The club has been seeking a successor to Michael Carrick after a poor start to the season.
Glazer's Approval and Contact with US Soccer
Avram Glazer is said to have agreed to the process of bringing in Pochettino, although no concrete business is expected until Carrick has been dismissed. The club has made contact with US Soccer as they plan for a new era without the 45-year-old manager.
Sky Sports News reports that a verbal agreement in principle has been reached between United and Pochettino, though firing Carrick and hiring the Premier League-proven coach will not be straightforward.
Release Clause and Severance Costs
Pochettino is under contract with the USMNT until 2030, meaning United will have to pay a £7.4 million release clause to secure his services. They will also need to pay Carrick a severance package of around £3 million to terminate his two-year deal early, thanks to a break clause.
If a deal is completed this week, Pochettino will not fly into Greater Manchester until Thursday, November 19 at the earliest.
Pochettino's Commitments with USMNT
The 54-year-old will continue his duties with the US national team during the November international break regardless of whether a deal is struck. He is preparing for a CONCACAF Nations League double header against Haiti, aiming to see the quarter finals through first.
The USA face Haiti in Miami on Saturday, November 14 at 9.30pm, with a reverse fixture in Cincinnati at midnight on Wednesday, November 18. Pochettino took training at the US Soccer National Training Center in Georgia on Wednesday.
Crystal Palace's Chris Richards told the Athletic: "We're training like he's going to be the coach tomorrow, because we don't know what's gonna happen or what's not gonna happen. If you focus too much on what could happen, you won't be able to really focus on what is happening."
