Pochettino Looks Set to Take Charge at Manchester United

Mauricio Pochettino looks set to become Manchester United's manager, according to BBC Sport, once the formal steps to end Michael Carrick's time in charge are finished.

The move follows a summit meeting in Monaco. Carrick, 45, had been confirmed as United's permanent head coach after a successful spell as interim, which means a temporary boss who steps in until a permanent one is named. The club's dismissal process for him is not yet complete.

Pochettino is currently in charge of the United States national team. He led the USA at this summer's World Cup. A switch to Old Trafford would take him away from that job.

United's position makes the decision a pressing one. The club sits in the Premier League relegation zone, the bottom three places in the table, which send teams down to the Championship at the end of the season.

Pochettino's name has been linked with the Manchester United job before. He was mentioned as a contender when Louis van Gaal was sacked in May 2016, and again when Jose Mourinho was dismissed in December 2018. He was on the shortlist when Erik ten Hag was appointed in April 2022, and again when Ten Hag was sacked in October 2024. Each time, the job went elsewhere.

In 2016, he was also spotted leaving a lunch at Scott's, the restaurant in Mayfair, with Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson managed United for 26 years before he retired in 2013, and his shadow still hangs over the club's search for a successor.

For supporters, the picture is familiar. Since Ferguson stepped away, United have repeatedly turned to new faces in search of stability. This time the names being discussed are the same ones that came up in earlier searches, and the question is whether the next appointment sticks.

Football fans know the feeling of waiting for a club to act. Most of the time the answer comes in a press conference, a squad photo and a new manager's first team talk. Until then, the rumours keep coming, and every report gets read twice.