Manchester United just dropped a bombshell, officially confirming Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager after sacking Michael Carrick a mere 10 games into the season. The club’s in absolute freefall, sitting 18th in the Premier League heading into the international break. It’s a move that cost them a fortune, and it screams desperation at Old Trafford.
The $7 Million Price Tag for a Crisis Club
United shelled out an initial $7 million, or £5.3 million, to US Soccer to yank Pochettino out of his contract, which was supposed to run until the 2030 World Cup. And that’s just the start, because they’ll need to cough up more cash for his trusted coaching staff, including his long-time assistant Jesus Perez. This kind of money for a club that has won just once in the Premier League this season, against Ipswich Town, and scraped together only eight points from their first 10 matches, feels wild. Michael Carrick apparently still had goodwill with the fanbase, but even that wasn’t enough for the United bosses, who pulled the plug after their latest crisis talks in Monaco this week.
Pochettino is no stranger to the English top-flight drama. He was last in the Premier League during the 2023-24 season, guiding Chelsea to a sixth-place finish despite a lot of mid-table struggles before leaving by mutual consent. Before that, he had a five-year stint at Tottenham, where he famously led them to the Champions League final in 2019. He also spent 18 months at Paris Saint-Germain, snagging the Ligue 1 title in the 2021-22 season.
Poch’s Last Dance with the USA Before Facing Anfield
“The opportunity to represent the USA crest was one of the greatest honors of my career,” Pochettino said after his departure was confirmed. He was super grateful to the players, fans, and the Federation, highlighting the “tremendous talent in the U.S. player pool.” He delivered a run to the last-16 for the USA at this summer’s home World Cup, though that run wasn’t without controversy. Striker Folarin Balogun’s red card was controversially overturned after a call from Donald Trump to Fifa president Gianni Infantino. While losing Pochettino is a blow, The Independent understands that US Soccer actually had a succession plan in place for his exit at some point before the 2030 World Cup.
Pochettino will stay in charge for the United States’ two Concacaf Nations League fixtures against Haiti during the international break, with an away match on November 14 and a home match in Cincinnati on November 18. After that, he’s off to Carrington, with his official start date on November 18. His first colossal challenge comes just a few days later, a Premier League clash against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22. Can he immediately steady this sinking ship? The eyes of the football world will definitely be on him and Man Utd.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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