Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick following a disappointing start to the 2026/27 season, with former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino reportedly agreeing to replace him.
Carrick’s dismissal comes less than six months after he signed a two-year contract extension until 2028, having guided United to a third-place finish in the Premier League last season and secured Champions League qualification.
According to Sky Sports, United have reached a verbal agreement with Pochettino, who is expected to complete his commitments with the United States national team before taking over at Old Trafford.
The Argentine is expected to remain in charge of the USA for their Nations League fixtures against Haiti on Saturday and Wednesday.
Sky Sports also reported that Pochettino’s newly signed contract with the United States contains a £7m release clause, with discussions involving the United Soccer Federation expected to intensify.
Carrick’s departure was ratified by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe during a Monaco summit, following recommendations from chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.
The decision followed Sunday’s dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa, in which United recovered from two separate deficits but failed to secure victory.
Despite the late comeback, the result did little to ease concerns over the team’s performances, with United recording just three wins in 15 matches this season.
Carrick was initially appointed in January 2026 following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim and enjoyed an impressive spell, winning 12 of his 17 matches to guide United into the Premier League’s top three.
His performances earned him a nomination for Premier League Manager of the Season before the club handed him a new contract in May.
However, a poor run of results this season, including a 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League and a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth, intensified pressure on his position.
His exit means Manchester United are searching for their eighth permanent head coach since the departure of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.
Pochettino, who previously managed Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, has been considered for the United job on three previous occasions.
Meanwhile, former United captain Gary Neville has argued that changing managers alone would not address the club’s persistent problems.
Speaking to NBC, Neville said the club needed deeper structural reforms, particularly in its recruitment, performance management and leadership.
He warned that United’s repeated managerial changes had failed to resolve the underlying issues affecting the club over the past 12 years.
We do everything possible to supply quality news and information to all our valuable readers day in, day out and we are committed to keep doing this.
Your kind donation will help our continuous research efforts.
-Advertisement-
-Want to get the news as it breaks?-
