Mauricio Pochettino is set to end a decade of speculation linking him with Manchester United by signing a new four-year contract as head coach of the United States men's national team. Negotiations with the U.S. Soccer Federation are reportedly progressing well, with a deal through to the 2030 World Cup in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain on the table.
Contract Talks Advance
As reported by Telemundo broadcaster Andres Cantor, U.S. Soccer intends to announce the renewal soon. The Athletic has clarified that a deal is "close" but not yet finalised, with ongoing discussions. If signed, the extension would keep Pochettino in charge until after the 2030 World Cup, making his tenure the longest of his coaching career—six years in total.
Pochettino became the first U.S. men's national team coach to win a knockout round match in 24 years this summer, though the team still only reached the round of 16, as they did in 2010, 2014, and 2022.
Ending a Decade of Links
Pochettino was a candidate to replace Louis van Gaal at Manchester United a decade ago, but Jose Mourinho ultimately got the job. United had previously overlooked the Portuguese when appointing David Moyes as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor. Unlike Mourinho, Pochettino never ended up in the home dugout at Old Trafford.
Speaking to FourFourTwo earlier this year, Pochettino acknowledged: "United have always shown interest. But the ideal scenario to manage there has never quite materialised." In 2022, when United were looking to permanently replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Pochettino said: "I was under contract at PSG. After our Champions League elimination against Real Madrid, we had no option but to make sure we secured the Ligue 1 title at least. United were in a hurry to announce their new manager before the end of that season because the situation had become unsustainable. I couldn't negotiate, whereas Ajax gave Ten Hag the flexibility to do so."
Four years later, months after United handed Michael Carrick a two-year contract, Pochettino was again under contract. Now, however, he appears ready to commit his long-term future away from Old Trafford, finally ending a decade of rumours.
