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Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly set to become the new manager of Manchester United, culminating a decade of interest from Old Trafford. The expected appointment follows a summit meeting in Monaco that precedes the dismissal of Michael Carrick.
A Long-Standing Connection with Old Trafford
According to BBC Sport, the link between Pochettino and Manchester United dates back to May 2016, when the Argentine was spotted leaving a lunch meeting in Mayfair with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. At the time, Ferguson was three years into his retirement while Pochettino was managing Tottenham Hotspur, playing an aggressive style of football that impressed the former United boss. Pochettino later described the encounter as a meeting between “a genius and an apprentice.”
Pochettino was previously considered as a candidate to succeed Louis van Gaal in 2016 and Jose Mourinho in 2018. He was also on the shortlist when Erik ten Hag was hired in April 2022 and when the Dutch manager was dismissed in October 2024. Most recently, while managing the USA national team at the World Cup, Pochettino hinted at his future during a conversation with his assistant coach, Jesus Perez, stating that “future” was the key word regarding a potential move to United.
Handling the Transition and Carrick’s Exit
The impending arrival of Pochettino comes amid criticism of how club part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada, and director of football Jason Wilcox handled Michael Carrick’s departure. Carrick, 45, struggled since taking over as permanent head coach following a successful interim period. Despite his struggles leaving United in the Premier League relegation zone, his history as a player and desire to improve the team made the handling of his exit an uncomfortable episode for the club’s disaffected fans.
Pochettino’s appointment offers a middle ground between sentimental choices like Carrick or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and previous experienced winners like Van Gaal and Mourinho. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, who co-authored the book Brave New World with Pochettino, noted that the manager has long held a deep affection for United, having attended their 1999 Champions League final victory and featuring Ferguson prominently in his biography.
Challenges Ahead at a Crumbling Club
Pochettino inherits a squad described as a difficult mix of players assembled by six different managers. Known for his work developing young talent—such as Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min at Tottenham, and Cole Palmer at Chelsea—he will need to rely on his reputation as a builder. However, questions remain regarding his inability to secure major trophies in England, having finished as runner-up in several domestic cup competitions and the Champions League with Spurs, alongside a League Cup final loss with Chelsea.
Pochettino also possesses a single-minded and competitive nature, demonstrated by his approach to player management and squad selections during his tenure with the USA. As he prepares to take charge of a struggling United side, both he and Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping for the same kind of inspiration that Pochettino displayed when he successfully named Argentina’s 1930 World Cup final goalscorer Guillermo Stabile during their lunch date a decade ago.
