Manchester United have decided to dismiss Michael Carrick, with Mauricio Pochettino expected to take over at Old Trafford. Reports emerged on Monday evening that a decision had been made to part with the under-pressure boss while the club sits in the Premier League relegation zone.
As many of the squad depart for international duty with their respective nations, Carrick remains at the training ground to oversee a depleted first-team group while work continues on finalising a deal to appoint Pochettino.
Talks Underway and Buyout Clause
The Athletic reports that talks with Pochettino's representatives began on Tuesday, and BBC Sport adds that the former Tottenham and Chelsea manager is ready to accept a job offer. However, before any announcement, Pochettino must be bought out of his contract with US Soccer.
Pochettino has not been involved in club management since leaving Chelsea by mutual consent two and a half years ago. The Argentine had spent just one year in west London before being lured by the USA national team to guide them into their home World Cup, where they were knocked out at the last-16 stage.
Pochettino was heavily linked with a return to Tottenham before the World Cup and was widely expected to leave the USMNT setup after the tournament. However, in August, he signed a new contract to guide the national team into the 2030 World Cup.
Staff Costs and Current Duties
With Manchester United now knocking, Pochettino is ready to head back to the Premier League, but the club will have to pay up to appoint him. According to The Athletic, there is a buyout clause in Pochettino's contract worth $10m (£7.44m) which Manchester United can trigger to bring him back to England.
The buyout clause does not cover Pochettino's coaching staff, many of whom, such as assistant Jesus Perez, have been with him for most of his career.
Given the international break, Pochettino is currently with his USMNT squad at the team's training centre in North Carolina ahead of two Concacaf Nations League quarter-final matches against Haiti on Saturday and next Tuesday. He is scheduled to speak to reporters on Friday at his traditional pre-match press conference.
