Manchester United announced on Friday that Mauricio
Pochettino will be their new manager following the dismissal of Michael
Carrick.
In a statement, the club said the USA coach, who has
previously managed Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League, will take
charge from November 18. The 54-year-old is understood to have signed a
two-and-a-half-year deal at Old Trafford, running to the end of the 2028/29
season.
United said they had reached an agreement with the US
soccer federation for Pochettino and his staff to be released after the
conclusion of their responsibilities with the US men's national team. The club
described the Argentinian as renowned for his high-intensity, attacking style,
his dedication to building cohesive teams and his outstanding record of
developing individual players. The federation is reportedly set to receive $10
million in compensation for him, plus a further $2 million for his coaching staff.
Pochettino, who led the United States to the last 16
of the World Cup on home soil earlier this year, said in a statement released
by US Soccer that the job had been "one of the greatest honours of my
career." He thanked the players, the fans and the federation. US Soccer
CEO and secretary general JT Batson said he had left a lasting mark on football
in the country through his "leadership, professionalism and commitment to
our players and culture."
Pochettino previously managed Southampton, Tottenham,
Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. He never finished lower than fifth in the
Premier League in five seasons at Tottenham, but won no silverware and was
dismissed in November 2019, months after the club lost the Champions League
final to Liverpool. At PSG, he won the 2021 French Cup and the 2022 Ligue 1
title but did not see out his contract. He returned to the dugout at Chelsea in
2023 but lasted a single season, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals and losing the
League Cup final.
United are in the Premier League relegation zone with
just one win in 10 games, their worst-ever start to a league campaign. Their
next match is away at Liverpool on November 22. Pochettino, who has been linked
with the United job several times before, faces the task of uniting a deeply
divided club on and off the pitch.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was dropped last month after
criticising Carrick's tactics following a 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como,
while defender Lisandro Martinez publicly criticised the hierarchy for not
doing more to strengthen the squad in the summer. One early issue could be the
future of Fernandes, who is understood to have rejected a second contract
offer. United have an option to extend his deal to the end of the 2027/28
season, which would stop him from talking to other clubs in January.
Angry fans vented their frustration at the club's
ownership after Carrick's sacking. Despite persistent protests over two
decades, the US-based Glazer family still hold a majority stake, which Malcolm
Glazer bought through a leveraged takeover in 2005, leaving the club with heavy
debts. Hopes that British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's arrival as a minority
owner in 2024 would signal a new dawn have since faded.
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