Mauricio Pochettino to reportedly sign two-and-a-half year deal with Manchester United

Manchester United, who are sitting at 18th and within the relegation zone in the Premier League at the time of the international break, relieved Carrick of his duties as head coach on Thursday. With just three wins across all competitions this season and just one win out of 10 games in the Premiership, Carrick's future with the club was under scrutiny for a long time, and the top brass at Old Trafford finally ended his two-year permanent manager gig with the club prematurely on Thursday.

The struggling PL giants are set to pay a massive buyout in the region of 10 million USD (7.4m pounds) in the Argentine's United States contract. Pochettino has Premier League experience, having previously managed sides like Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. The deal is still not completed yet, but should everything go according to plan, the 54-year-old will put pen to paper to seal his stay with Manchester United till 2029.

An official announcement could be made on Friday, with Pochettino currently managing the USA team ahead of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final legs one and two on Saturday and Tuesday, before arriving to Old Trafford ahead of the club's next game against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22.

Pochettino, who was roped in by the USA football team in September 2024, will leave the team after just over two years, with a round of 16 run in the FIFA World Cup 2026 co-hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada being a highlight.

Previously, Carrick was given more time to improve the club's performances after a 0-3 loss to Bournemouth last month, but the club has not produced any notable positives except for a win over Roma. Carrick was given a two-year permanent deal with the club back in May following an interim manager stint which yielded him immense success.

He took over Ruben Amorim in January and guided the club to a third-place finish, a return to the UCL with 39 points across 17 matches. During Carrick's run as an interim manager, no other club did better in terms of points, with Manchester United getting wins over traditional rivals Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

However, with an 18th-place standing in the Premier League, elimination from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion and a patchy UCL run, Manchester United failed to repeat their high standard of performances under Carrick this season. (ANI)