Staff Writer
Manchester United have moved fast. A day after sacking Michael Carrick, the club has confirmed Mauricio Pochettino as its new men's head coach.
What the club confirmed
In a statement on Friday, 13 November 2026, United said Pochettino has agreed to become head coach from 18 November.
The club also said it has reached an agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation to release Pochettino and his staff once his current duties with the United States men's national team are finished. He is expected to lead the USA in their two Nations League games against Haiti before moving to Manchester.
The contract and the cost
The length of the deal was not in the club's statement. Several outlets, including GiveMeSport and the Express, report it as a two-and-a-half-year contract.
The Express also reports that United are paying around £7.4 million to buy him out of his USA contract. That figure has not been confirmed by the club or U.S. Soccer.
Who is Mauricio Pochettino?
The Argentine is one of the best-known coaches in European football. The club's statement summed up his career:
- Espanyol (from 2009): his first job as a head coach.
- Southampton: set a club-record Premier League points total in 2014.
- Tottenham Hotspur: five full seasons, four straight Champions League qualifications and a run to the 2019 Champions League final.
- Paris Saint-Germain (from 2021): won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions.
- Chelsea (from 2023): one more spell in the Premier League.
- USA: most recently led the US men's team to the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
Why United moved so quickly
United are in deep trouble. When Carrick was sacked on Thursday, the club was 18th in the Premier League with one win, five draws and four losses from 10 games. They had won only three of 15 matches in all competitions.
That slump came just months after Carrick led United to a third-place finish in 2025-26. In its statement on Carrick's exit, the club said it wanted to appoint a permanent successor "as quickly as possible." It took a little more than a day.
A familiar name at Old Trafford
Pochettino has been linked with the United job for years. The Express reports that the club interviewed him twice before, choosing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag instead.
There are also reports about how this decision was made. According to reports cited by the Express, the Glazer family played a big part in choosing him, while the club's football leadership had preferred another candidate. United have not commented on these reports, so treat them with caution.
A tough start
Pochettino's first match is likely to be the hardest one on the calendar. United travel to Liverpool on 22 November, just four days after he officially starts.
He will have almost no time on the training ground before facing United's biggest rivals, with his team in the relegation zone. Beyond that, he must also steady United's Champions League campaign.
What it means for fans
For United's huge fan base across Nigeria and Africa, this is the third head coach the club has had in less than a year: Ruben Amorim, then Carrick, and now Pochettino. Fans will want to see a clear plan and quick improvement. Pochettino's long Premier League experience at Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea means he knows the league well.
What to watch next
- Which coaches come with him from the USA set-up.
- His first press conference and what he says about the squad and January transfers.
- The result at Anfield on 22 November and whether United can climb out of the bottom three before Christmas.