Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s new manager.
The Argentine will leave his role as head coach of the United States men’s national team to move to Old Trafford at the end of this international window. Pochettino will therefore be in charge of the United States’ two-way clash with Haiti before leaving for England.
The second leg takes place in Cincinnati on Tuesday 17 November, leaving Pochettino with little time to familiarize himself with United’s squad before returning to Premier League action with a trip to arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday 22 November.
United have agreed to pay Pochettino’s £7.4m release clause to make him the successor to Michael Carrick, who was sacked on Thursday.
A statement from the club was read: “Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become Manchester United’s men’s head coach from 18 November.
“The club has reached an agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation for Mauricio and his staff to be released following the conclusion of his responsibilities with the U.S. Men’s National Team.”
United hope Pochettino will inspire improvement
Pochettino will be tasked with improving a United side that have won just one of their opening 10 Premier League games and are currently in the relegation zone after making their worst start to a top-flight season since 1986.
The United statement added: “The Argentine is known for his high-intensity, attacking style of football, his dedication to building strong and cohesive teams and his excellent track record of developing individual players.
“Pochettino has consistently been at the highest level of football in various leagues. He began his career as a manager with Espanyol in 2009 before joining Southampton and achieving a Premier League points record in 2014.
“During five full seasons at Tottenham Hotspur, Pochettino established the club as a regular Champions League contender, securing qualification in four consecutive seasons and taking the club to their first final of the competition in 2019.
“In 2021 he joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the Ligue 1 title, the French Cup and the Trophée des Champions before joining Chelsea in 2023.
“Most recently he led the United States men’s national team to the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup.”
U.S. Soccer boss hails Pochettino’s departure
Pochettino leaves the United States with the endorsement of chief executive and general secretary JT Batson after a two-year spell in which he won 21 and drew two of his 35 games in charge.
Batson told ussoccer.com, “Mauricio has left a lasting mark on US Soccer through his leadership, professionalism and commitment to our players and culture.
“What we are most proud of goes beyond the wins. He and his staff raised standards, strengthened our culture and created clearer connections from the youth national teams to the senior team. These changes are now embedded in the way we operate, and we will continue to build on them as we pursue sustained success on the world stage.”
more to follow
