American speculations about Pochettino clash with club crisis at United and Beveren

While the American football association is seriously considering letting Mauricio Pochettino leave as national team coach, Michael Carrick remains on a very thin rope at Manchester United. Pochettino is seen as the foregone successor, a personal agreement would already exist, and Pep Guardiola is high on the Americans' wish list.

American speculations and transfer market

A press conference with the US was cancelled on Tuesday, officially because of Veterans Day, but it fuels rumours about Pochettino's departure. The American football association is taking a serious view of a departure of Mauricio Pochettino as national team coach.

Pep Guardiola has previously been in contact with US Soccer and lived for a year in New York during a sabbatical after his departure from Barcelona in 2012, where he enjoyed relative anonymity in a luxury apartment close to Central Park with his family.

The transfer market in the Netherlands has been closed since Wednesday evening, September 2, while the markets in the foreign top leagues closed a day earlier. Clubs may still sign free agents.

Club developments in Belgium and England

The Belgian club SK Beveren has dismissed coach Tim Bakens and assistant Dennis te Braak after five months. The 44‑year‑old Bakens had been coach of the Jupiler Pro League club since June, which currently sits fifteenth with ten points.

General director Bob Peeters said: “We started the season excellently, but as the season progressed, we saw ourselves drifting further away from the core principles that shape our football identity.”

Previously, Bakens was assistant to Henry van der Vegt at PEC Zwolle and also held positions at Helmond Sport and Almere City.

Ian Maatsen has signed a new contract with Aston Villa until mid‑2032, extending his commitment to the club by two years. The 24‑year‑old left‑back played his hundredth match for Aston Villa last weekend.

Maatsen is currently in the Netherlands national team squad and can play a second or third international.

Wilfried Brookhuis leaves “by mutual agreement” at NEC after more than 41 years with the club. The 65‑year‑old former goalkeeper was, among other roles, head of youth development, assistant coach and goalkeeping coach at NEC.

Brookhuis played a total of 430 matches for the club between 1985 and 1999.

Manchester United’s board will meet on Wednesday in Monaco to decide whether Michael Carrick is dismissed or stays. United are experiencing the worst start to a season ever, with only one win in ten Premier League matches.

General director Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox are traveling to Monaco, together with shareholder Jim Ratcliffe, to argue for Carrick’s departure.

Carrick, who succeeded Ruben Amorim in January, temporarily led United to third place and signed a two‑year contract in May.

Jess Thorup was dismissed by Racing Genk after four months due to disappointing performances. The 56‑year‑old Dane left the club while Genk sit seventh after eleven rounds, forty points behind league leaders Union.

Thorup was appointed as Genk’s head coach for the second time in July, after Nicky Hayen moved to Burnley, and had a three‑year contract. The Belgian club has not yet named a replacement for Thorup.

Karim Benzema, Luuk de Jong and Jadon Sancho are mentioned in transfer news, although no further details are provided.