Mauricio Pochettino sat before reporters on Friday and wiped away tears, describing the call to walk out on the American national side for Old Trafford as one of the hardest choices he has ever faced. The Argentine had committed to a four-year contract with the Americans only last summer, but the pull of becoming the new manager for Pochettino Manchester United proved impossible for him to resist.
United secured the 54-year-old on a two-and-a-half-year contract after agreeing to pay a buyout fee of around £7.4 million to the US Soccer Federation, with extra money covering his backroom staff. He replaces Michael Carrick, who was dismissed on Thursday following a collapse that left the club 18th in the Premier League table.
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For fans in Manchester, the switch brings an experienced coach to halt a slide toward relegation. For the United States, it creates an abrupt leadership vacancy less than two years before the nation co-hosts the World Cup.
Why Pochettino Manchester United became an offer he could not refuse
Speaking at his introductory press conference, Pochettino openly wrestled with his feelings about leaving his international post so soon after taking it. He thanked US federation leaders for their backing, acknowledging that walking away felt deeply painful on a personal level.
“I never said I wanted to go back but they know there aren’t too many opportunities that happen in your career like Manchester United.”
He explained that opportunities at this level simply do not wait around. When Old Trafford officials called him directly, professional ambition overtook his long-term plans in North America.
“It’s difficult to talk now,” he admitted through tears. “I’m a very emotional guy. It’s a very sad decision. But we are professionals and we are trying to make our dreams come true.”
A salvage mission at Old Trafford
The job awaiting him in England offers little room for comfort. United have endured their bleakest start to a domestic league season in 40 years, managing just a single victory across their first 10 matches.
They sit only one point above bottom-placed Sunderland after a humiliating 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth sealed Carrick’s fate. While Carrick had signed a two-year contract in May, his tenure unraveled inside 15 fixtures.
Carrick posted a gracious farewell message to supporters, writing that leading the club was an immense privilege that carried massive responsibility. Still, the rapid dismissal leaves United searching for stability after sacking three different permanent managers in three seasons.
Behind the scenes, pressure has mounted on sporting director Jason Wilcox over recent recruitment choices, while questions circulate about the leadership dynamic between the Glazer family and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Club officials moved quickly to deny any internal division, insisting the hierarchy stood united behind the decision to pursue the former Tottenham boss.
Ten years of near misses before the deal was done
The agreement between Pochettino and Manchester United ends a pursuit that stretched across a full decade. The club first tracked him during his 18 months at Southampton, where he guided the south coast side to an eighth-place finish.
His stock rose sharply after moving to Tottenham Hotspur in 2014. Spurs had reached the top four just twice in the 22 years before he arrived, yet he took them into the Champions League places in four of his five full seasons in north London.
United considered him as early as 2016, when he famously dined with Sir Alex Ferguson in Mayfair, London, shortly before Louis van Gaal lost his job. The board selected Jose Mourinho instead. Two years later, when Mourinho left, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s interim run convinced the board to hand the Norwegian the permanent role.
The vacancy opened again in 2022, but United selected Erik ten Hag, whose Ajax team had lost to Pochettino’s Spurs in the 2019 Champions League semi-finals. Even after Pochettino left Chelsea in 2024, United opted for Ruben Amorim before turning back to Carrick. When the job opened this week, names like Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte surfaced, but Pochettino was the only coach United spoke to directly.
The final games for the USA and a brutal start in England
Before moving his life back to the northwest of England, Pochettino will complete his duties with the USA national team. He will take charge on the sideline for two scheduled fixtures against Haiti on 14 November and 18 November.
Once those international duties conclude, his English return begins with the toughest possible test. His first game in charge of Manchester United comes on 22 November, when he takes his new squad to Anfield to face Liverpool.
Source: BBC
