- Pochettino Man United: The Deal in Full
- Why United Sacked Michael Carrick
- Pochettino's USA Farewell
- Who Is Mauricio Pochettino?
- What Happens Next
- What It Means for the USA
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is the new Manchester United coach?
- How long is Pochettino's contract at Manchester United?
- How much did Manchester United pay for Pochettino?
- When does the Pochettino Man United era start?
- Who did Pochettino replace at Manchester United?
- Will Pochettino still coach the USA?
The Pochettino Man United deal is done. Manchester United announced on Friday 13 November 2026 that Mauricio Pochettino will become their new head coach, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract until the summer of 2029. The 54-year-old Argentine leaves his job as coach of the United States to take over a club sitting in the Premier League relegation zone, and his first match in charge will be against Liverpool at Anfield.
Last updated: November 2026
Quick Answer
- Contract: two and a half years, until the summer of 2029.
- United will pay around $12 million in total: a $10 million release clause plus about $2 million for his coaching staff.
- Pochettino starts on Wednesday 18 November 2026 and takes training for the first time on Thursday 19 November.
- His first match in charge is Liverpool away on Sunday 22 November 2026.
- Finally, he replaces Michael Carrick, who was sacked on Thursday 12 November 2026.
- He will still lead the USA in both legs of their Nations League quarter-final against Haiti.
Pochettino Man United: The Deal in Full
The Pochettino Man United agreement was first reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic on Thursday evening, and Fabrizio Romano followed with his “here we go” confirmation. Subsequently, Manchester United announced it officially on Friday 13 November 2026. The club statement said: “Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become the Manchester United 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 after the conclusion of their responsibilities with the U.S. Men’s National Team.”
In fact, United had to buy Pochettino out of his contract with U.S. Soccer. He had signed a four-year extension in August 2026, keeping him with the USA through the 2030 World Cup, but that deal contained a release clause. The numbers, as reported by ESPN, break down like this:
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Release clause for Pochettino | $10 million (£7.4 million) |
| Cost of bringing his coaching staff | About $2 million |
| Total package | Around $12 million |
In addition, Pochettino will bring four members of his backroom staff with him to Manchester. His salary has not been confirmed. However, TEAMtalk reported that the package will be competitive and in excess of the £5 million a year his predecessor Michael Carrick was on. Sky Sports also reported that Pochettino will be backed in the January transfer window.
Why United Sacked Michael Carrick
As a result, Carrick was sacked on Thursday 12 November 2026 after a difficult run of results. He had taken charge in January 2026, but United are enduring their worst start to a season in four decades. The club sits in the Premier League relegation zone with one win, five draws and four losses from their first ten games.
In the end, the sacking ended a short spell in charge for the former United midfielder, who had been given the job on a permanent basis at the start of the year. United moved fast for his replacement: the club made formal contact with U.S. Soccer on Wednesday, the day before Carrick was dismissed, and the deal with Pochettino was agreed within two days. The Glazer family reportedly overruled the club’s INEOS leadership to pursue Pochettino, who has been a long-term target at Old Trafford and had spoken to United about the job on three earlier occasions.
Pochettino’s USA Farewell
The Pochettino Man United move was agreed while he was still in charge of the USA, and he will finish that job before he starts at Old Trafford. The USA play Haiti in a two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final, and Pochettino will lead the team in both games.
Meanwhile, the first leg, played on Saturday 14 November 2026 at Nu Stadium in Miami, ended in a 6-0 win for the USA. Haiti chose the Miami ground as their home venue because of the instability in their homeland, so the USA’s six goals all count as away goals. Auston Trusty opened the scoring in the 10th minute, Julian Hall made it 2-0 in the 52nd, Christian Pulisic scored twice in the 62nd and 63rd minutes, Weston McKennie added a fifth in the 68th, and Folarin Balogun completed the scoring in the 82nd. Pulisic’s brace took him to 35 goals for the USA, passing Eric Wynalda for the fourth-most goals in the country’s history.
Meanwhile, the second leg takes place on Tuesday 17 November 2026 in Cincinnati. Haiti would need to win 7-0 to turn the tie around, because away goals are the first tiebreaker. Pochettino’s farewell to the USA will therefore almost certainly end with the team through to the Nations League semi-finals in March.
Pochettino took the USA job in 2024 and led the team at the 2026 World Cup on home soil, where they reached the round of 16 before losing 4-1 to Belgium. He signed his four-year extension in August 2026, only three months before United came calling. He has described the decision to leave as “a really tough decision”, and said the chance to manage Manchester United was simply too big to turn down. For more on his time with the national team, read our report on Pochettino and the USMNT’s World Cup focus.
Who Is Mauricio Pochettino?
Pochettino is a 54-year-old Argentine who has managed in England, France and Spain. He made his name at Southampton, then built Tottenham Hotspur into Champions League finalists in 2019, a run that ended in defeat to Liverpool in the final. He went on to manage Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the French league title, and then Chelsea, before taking the USA job in 2024.
Overall, his reputation rests on building young, high-energy teams that press hard and attack in numbers, and on improving players rather than buying ready-made stars. That record is also the question mark over the appointment: for all the reputation, he has won relatively few trophies for a manager of his standing. United are hiring the coach, not the cabinet, and betting that his methods can lift a squad that has lost its way. For where he ranks among his peers, read our guide to the best football managers of the modern era.
United have wanted him before. The Pochettino Man United job is one he has wanted for years, and he was close to it more than once in past years. This time the timing finally worked: United needed a manager in November, and the release clause in his USA contract gave them a clear price. The appointment also settles a long-running question at Old Trafford, where his name has come up at almost every managerial change since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
What Happens Next
The Pochettino Man United era begins on Wednesday 18 November 2026, when he arrives at the club’s Carrington training ground. He will meet his new players and take training for the first time on Thursday 19 November. His first match in charge could hardly be harder: Liverpool away at Anfield on Sunday 22 November 2026, live on Sky Sports.
The Liverpool game is one of football’s biggest fixtures, and it will be Pochettino’s first test in front of a fanbase that has waited years for a manager to restore the club. For the history of the fixture, read our guide on what a derby in football means. Liverpool are also the club Sadio Mane chose over Manchester United for playing time when he moved to England. United’s squad has already changed ahead of his arrival, including the signing of goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Antwerp, and Pochettino will be backed in the January transfer window to shape the team further. For more on the goalkeeper, read our report on Man Utd signing Lammens.
In short, United’s immediate task is simple: climb out of the relegation zone. The longer task is harder: rebuild a club that has not won the league since 2013 and has gone through a string of managers since Ferguson. Pochettino’s contract runs to the summer of 2029, which gives him two and a half years to do it. The first judgment will come quickly, though: a trip to Anfield in his first week leaves no room for a slow start.
What It Means for the USA
Finally, the USA must find a new head coach with the 2030 World Cup cycle already under way. Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been reported as a target, and Steve Cherundolo will lead the team’s December camp, which will feature a mainly MLS-based roster.
U.S. Soccer chief executive JT Batson confirmed that the compensation from Manchester United will be reinvested into U.S. Soccer programmes, and the wealthy backers who helped pay for Pochettino’s appointment are expected to keep supporting his successor. The federation has time: the next competitive fixtures after the Haiti tie are months away, and the December camp gives the new coach a first look at the player pool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new Manchester United coach?
Mauricio Pochettino, the 54-year-old Argentine who was coaching the United States. Manchester United announced his appointment on Friday 13 November 2026.
How long is Pochettino’s contract at Manchester United?
Two and a half years, until the summer of 2029. He signed the deal after United triggered the release clause in his contract with U.S. Soccer.
How much did Manchester United pay for Pochettino?
Around $12 million in total: a $10 million release clause for Pochettino himself, plus about $2 million to bring his coaching staff with him, according to ESPN.
When does the Pochettino Man United era start?
He starts on Wednesday 18 November 2026, takes training for the first time on Thursday 19 November, and his first match in charge is Liverpool away on Sunday 22 November 2026.
Who did Pochettino replace at Manchester United?
Michael Carrick, who was sacked on Thursday 12 November 2026. Carrick had been in charge since January 2026, and United are in the relegation zone after their worst start to a season in four decades.
Will Pochettino still coach the USA?
Yes, for two more games. He led the USA to a 6-0 win over Haiti in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final on 14 November 2026, and he will take charge of the second leg in Cincinnati on Tuesday 17 November 2026 before joining United.
The Bottom Line: The Pochettino Man United appointment is official: a two-and-a-half-year contract until the summer of 2029, at a cost of around $12 million, with a first game against Liverpool at Anfield on 22 November. United have their man; he has to lift them out of the relegation zone.
