United’s push for World Cup‑winning Argentine could oust Carrick

Manchester United are poised to replace Michael Carrick with World Cup‑winning Argentine Mauricio Pochettino as internal reports suggest the club’s hierarchy is moving towards a decisive change at Old Trafford, where United sit 18th with just one win.

Growing backing for the Argentine

TeamTalk says support for Pochettino has risen behind the scenes and now stretches across several influential figures linked to Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson has long admired the Argentine, repeatedly arguing that he is the right man to lead the club into a new era.

Carrick’s precarious position and United’s urgency

Jason Wilcox has already formed a view on Carrick’s future and is set to discuss it with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Omar Berrada at a meeting in Monte Carlo.

Sources close to Carrick’s camp indicate he does not expect to see out the week, and United have not pushed back against the growing expectation that a change is imminent.

United are 18th in the Premier League table with just one league success and sit one point above bottom‑placed Crystal Palace, marking their worst start since the 1986‑87 season.

The club has no desire to appoint another interim manager before the next match and is keen to have a permanent manager in place ahead of the upcoming fixture.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is thought to favour an English appointment but is prepared to let Wilcox have the final say, while Joel Glazer and Omar Berrada are also understood to back Pochettino.

Unai Emery and Cesc Fabregas have been mentioned but are described as very much off limits.

Bent unconvinced by Pochettino as Manchester United frontrunner

Pochettino’s credentials and contract details

Pochettino brings Premier League experience, a record of building competitive teams and a reputation for rigorous training‑ground work, and he would be open to taking charge at Old Trafford should the opportunity arise.

He signed a new deal with the United States this summer, winning one Ligue 1 title and one French Cup, and his Premier League record stands at 294 matches, 150 wins, a 51 percent win rate and 1.77 points per game.

During his spell at Tottenham he averaged 1.89 points per game, the best ratio of any Spurs manager with at least 25 Premier League games.

United’s interest in the 54‑year‑old Argentine dates back a decade; at Tottenham he moulded a strong side but fell short in the Champions League and League Cup finals, finishing second and third in the league.

He later won a league title with Paris Saint‑Germain and endured a League Cup final defeat with Chelsea in 2024.

He led the United States to the last‑16 of the World Cup on home soil and has signed a new contract that runs to the 2030 tournament.

Richard Keys calls for Wilcox and Berrada to follow Carrick out of Manchester United

The USA squad includes 17‑year‑old Cavan Sullivan, a Manchester City‑bound talent, and Pochettino has indicated he is ready to leave the national team for a Premier League role.

The buyout clause in his contract is reported at between 7440000 and 9 million, with the clause potentially rising if United retain his long‑time assistant Jesus Pérez, who has worked with him for 16 years.

Other names in the running include Antonio Conte, Julian Nagelsmann and Eddie Howe, whose record features 84 Premier League wins and a League Cup triumph.

MANCHESTER UNITED officials have repeatedly said that POCHETTINO is the leading candidate, underscoring the major win‑or‑lose moment for the club.