USMNT future hangs as Pochettino eyes Manchester United job

Manchester United are set to dismiss Michael Carrick and have moved to appoint United States national team boss Mauricio Pochettino as his successor.

United target Pochettino amid Carrick exit

Pochettino has been linked with the club every six to twelve months whenever the vacancy arises.

The club, once great, is desperate for a long‑term vision and a manager with a proven Premier League record.

He took over the United States side less than two years before the 2026 World Cup and guided them to the round of 16 this summer.

Observers note that his strengths lie off the pitch, where he builds family‑like squads and extracts maximum from young players each day.

Joe Prince‑Wright of PST argued that Poch is the ideal candidate for United, outlining his credentials.

Ten‑million buyout raises stakes

U.S. Soccer will receive a ten‑million‑dollar buyout from any club that hires Pochettino, with additional payments for his staff.

United could have secured him for free a few months ago, but the eight‑figure fee now underscores the club’s mismanagement.

During the last international break the United States launched a long‑term rebuild, introducing teenagers with sky‑high ceilings who impressed the coaching staff.

Veteran Antonee Robinson said on Tuesday, “For us to have a manager who’s linked with those sorts of jobs means we’re very lucky,” adding that the team is working with a top‑class manager.

USMNT faces coaching crossroads

If Pochettino departs, several names have emerged as possible United States successors.

Steve Cherundolo, a former United States captain who spent his entire sixteen‑year playing career at Hannover, is currently the under‑23 head coach ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.

He coached Los Angeles FC from 2022 to 2025, achieving a 54.2 percent win rate.

B.J. Callaghan, 45, leads Nashville SC and won the 2025 U.S. Open Cup, the 2026 Supporters’ Shield and secured the top seed for this year’s MLS Cup Playoffs, finishing thirteen points clear of rivals.

He also served as interim United States coach during the 2023 Gold Cup, which the side won at the end of Gregg Berhalter’s first spell.

Marcelo Bielsa, Pochettino’s boyhood mentor who recruited him to Newell’s Old Boys in 1990 and later coached him at Espanyol and Argentina, recently managed Uruguay at the 2026 World Cup but failed to progress from the group.

Gareth Southgate, England manager from 2016 to 2024, guided the Three Lions to a fourth‑place finish at the 2018 World Cup, runner‑up spots at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, a quarter‑final at the 2022 World Cup and third place at the 2026 World Cup.

Julian Nagelsmann, Germany manager from 2023 to 2026, took the side to the Euro 2024 quarter‑finals and the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, after a season and a half at Bayern Munich that yielded one Bundesliga title before his dismissal.

Roberto Martinez, Portugal manager from 2023 to 2026, reached the Euro 2024 quarter‑finals and the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, having previously spent six years with Belgium, guiding them to third place at the 2018 World Cup, a Euro 2020 quarter‑final and a group‑stage exit at the 2022 World Cup, and has been an international coach for ten years.

Antonio Conte, who led Italy between 2014 and 2016, took the Azzurri to the quarter‑finals of Euro 2016.

Pochettino is reportedly open to the Manchester United role, with United still needing to make an official approach to U.S. Soccer.

A release clause of around ten million dollars is expected to be triggered if United proceed.

Fabrizio Romano reported that Pochettino wants the job.

Steve Cherundolo is the main target, having been hired in July to lead the under‑23 side toward the 2028 Olympics.

The Athletic’s Tom Bogert said Cherundolo’s appeal lies in his ability to act as caretaker immediately, though no formal succession plan exists.

B.J. Callaghan, also 45, is seen as a natural option after guiding Nashville SC to the 2026 Supporters’ Shield and setting a new MLS points record.

Cherundolo’s under‑23 camp in Spain runs until 17 November, while Callaghan’s Nashville begins its MLS Cup run on 22 November.

The United States senior team faces Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League quarter‑finals on 14 and 17 November.

U.S. Soccer could look beyond obvious names, having previously contacted Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp when searching for Gregg Berhalter’s replacement.

Pochettino was earning around six million dollars in his last contract, one of the highest international salaries.

The buyout is estimated at around ten million dollars plus a couple of million more for his assistants, which would add to the federation’s donor‑funded resources.

United aim to have a new manager in place for their next match against Liverpool at Anfield on 22 November.

That schedule leaves little room for the United States, whose next fixtures are against Haiti on 14 and 17 November while the coaching vacancy remains unresolved.