Manchester United’s manager search is moving quickly, according to several outlets, and Mauricio Pochettino is the name most closely linked with the job. The club has not announced a change, and nothing below should be read as confirmed unless it is described that way.
Manchester United manager news: what is reported and what is confirmed
- Confirmed: Michael Carrick is United’s head coach and Pochettino is the USA national team head coach. United have won one of their first 10 Premier League games this season, a point covered in our earlier report on the club’s crisis.
- Reported: United are expected to decide on Carrick’s future before the end of the international break, according to Sports Mole (10 November).
- Reported: Sky Sports headlines on 11 November said United were close to agreeing terms with Pochettino and that Carrick was set to depart.
- Not confirmed: No official announcement of a dismissal or an appointment had been made in the sources reviewed for this article.
Why is Michael Carrick under pressure?
The numbers explain it. United have one win from 10 Premier League matches and, according to Sports Mole, sit in the relegation zone. The outlet described the current belief as being that Carrick will be relieved of his duties. Carrick is 45, and his only previous experience as a manager before this job came with Middlesbrough in the Championship.
TEAMtalk reported on 10 November that a meeting chaired by Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco was expected to confirm Carrick’s departure, with director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada reportedly flying out for it. That is the outlet’s account from sources, not a club statement.
Why is Mauricio Pochettino the favourite?
Pochettino, 54, has managed 294 Premier League games with Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and led Spurs to the 2018-19 Champions League final, according to Sports Mole. He left Chelsea at the end of the 2023-24 season and is now in charge of the United States, with a contract that runs to 2030.
The financial side is a key part of the story. Ben Jacobs, quoted by Sports Mole, reported that his US contract includes a release clause close to $10 million (about £7.4 million). That is a reported figure, not a verified one.
TEAMtalk added that the idea of Pochettino taking the job has been raised by intermediaries, but that it understood there had been no direct contact between United and the coach or his representatives at the time of writing. That detail matters: it separates a strong link from an agreed deal.
Sky Sports also reported that Pochettino is set to stay in charge of the USA for its next two games, which could delay any arrival at Old Trafford.
Who else has been mentioned?
According to TEAMtalk, Wilcox is leading the search and was initially understood to favour Eddie Howe, which is described as unconfirmed. Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte, Unai Emery and Cesc Fabregas were also named as names under discussion. The report does not say any of them are close to a deal.
Treat the list as background. Search lists often change quickly, and the outlets themselves said several details rested on sources rather than official comment.
What would a Pochettino appointment change?
Sports Mole’s own view, which is opinion rather than fact, is that Pochettino would be an upgrade but may face questions about whether his high-intensity approach fits the current squad. That is a fair debate, and it will be settled on the pitch, not in transfer-window headlines.
What the numbers do say is that United have scored goals this season but struggled to keep leads. They twice came back from two goals down in a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, which tells you the issue is as much structure as personnel.
What happens next
Expect an announcement on Carrick first, if the reports are right, followed by a period in which United negotiate with the USA federation. If Pochettino stays for the next two USA games, that timing could push his first match later into the month.
The first league game after the break is a trip into a hostile atmosphere at Anfield on Sunday 22 November, a date which Fifplay lists in its matchday 11 schedule. That is a difficult first test for any new head coach.
For more on the club and the wider league, browse our Football News section.
Sources: TEAMtalk (10 November 2026), Sports Mole (10 November 2026), Sky Sports football headlines (11 November 2026), Fifplay (20 October 2026). All details about talks are reports and are unconfirmed.
