Mauricio Pochettino will not officially begin work as Manchester United manager until next week, but he has reportedly already identified his first two signings. According to TEAMtalk, the Argentine is lining up moves for two members of his United States national squad, defender Alex Freeman and striker Folarin Balogun, after closely working with the pair over the past two years.
Familiar faces from the US setup
Pochettino handed Villarreal defender Freeman his international debut, while Arsenal academy graduate Balogun has become a leading man for the USMNT under the Argentine’s tutelage. Manchester United’s reported interest in Freeman predates the talks to appoint Pochettino as Michael Carrick’s replacement, who was sacked on Thursday morning.
Freeman arrived at La Liga outfit Villarreal in January 2026, helping the club qualify for the Champions League. The former Orlando City player is capable of operating on either flank as a full-back or wing-back, and has some experience in central defence.
Striker could arrive at reduced cost
Balogun almost made a deadline-day switch to Manchester United’s Premier League rivals Everton earlier this year, only to pull out of the deal at the last minute. The striker’s current club, Monaco, are said to be facing financial struggles, meaning Pochettino and Manchester United might be able to bolster their frontline at a reduced cost.
Balogun made just two Premier League appearances for Arsenal before permanently leaving the Gunners to join Monaco in 2023. The Ligue 1 side were impressed by Balogun’s return of 21 goals in 37 games for Stade Reims during the previous campaign, but the American has yet to hit the same heights at his current club.
