Manchester United’s board is set to convene in Monaco this Wednesday to determine the future of head coach Michael Carrick. Sport takes a look at the leading candidates who could replace Carrick.
His ten-month tenure has come under intense scrutiny following a dismal start to the campaign, which has seen the team manage only one victory in their opening 10 Premier League matches.
This run represents the club’s worst start to a top-flight season since 1986-87, leaving them languishing in 18th place, just one point above the bottom of the table.
Should the 45-year-old former player be dismissed, it would mark the eighth permanent appointment for the Red Devils since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson 13 years ago. Such high turnover would match the total number of managerial changes implemented during the 68-year period following Sir Matt Busby’s arrival in 1945. Potential successors linked to the position include Eddie Howe, Unai Emery, and long-term target Mauricio Pochettino.
Mauricio Pochettino: Career Overview
- Major trophies won: 1 Ligue 1 title, 1 French Cup
- Premier League record: 294 matches, 150 wins, 51% win percentage, 1.77 points per game
- Notable achievement: Held a 1.89 points-per-game average at Tottenham, the highest for any manager with 25 or more games in charge
- Connection: United has held a decade-long interest in the 54-year-old Argentine
Pochettino, who is currently managing the USA, recently signed a new contract extending his tenure through the 2030 World Cup. Having led the USA to the last 16 of the World Cup on home soil he signed a new contract taking him up to the 2030 tournament.
Despite having an exciting young squad in the States, he has consistently maintained that he holds unfinished business in the Premier League. Reports indicate his current contract contains a $10 million (£7.44m) buyout clause, which may include provisions allowing him to leave for specific high-profile opportunities. Pochettino has an exciting group of young players to work with for the national team – led by Manchester City -bound 17-year-old Cavan Sullivan – but he has always made it clear he has unfinished business in the Premier.
His previous experience in England includes guiding Tottenham to a generation-defining era, though he ultimately fell short of silverware, losing both the Champions League and League Cup finals. His stint at Paris St-Germain yielded a league title, while his time at Chelsea was more challenging, ending in a League Cup final defeat to Liverpool in 2024. At Spurs, he moulded their best team in a generation, but ultimately came up short of winning a trophy, losing both the Champions League and League Cup finals, and posted second and third-placed finishes.
