Manchester United have confirmed the dismissal of men's first team head coach Michael Carrick. The club stated that after a difficult start to the campaign, they reached the tough conclusion that a managerial change was necessary to meet their long term goals.
Sources close to the situation tell ESPN that United are on the verge of finalizing an agreement to hire Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine coach currently leads the United States men's national team, but the club is preparing to activate the release clause in his contract with the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Carrick received the news during a meeting on Thursday morning at the club's Carrington training facility. He was present with executives Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox. This gathering followed a prior meeting on Wednesday in Monaco involving Berrada, Wilcox, and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The decision to part ways with Carrick followed a comprehensive review of the team's performance. After suffering heavy consecutive defeats against Como and Bournemouth in the previous month, club leadership initially gave the squad another chance to improve. However, results in the subsequent three matches against Chelsea, Roma, and Aston Villa failed to provide sufficient evidence that the team was improving.
United sources emphasized that sitting in the Premier League relegation zone after ten games is unacceptable. They noted that the squad's talent level is significantly higher than the current results and on pitch performances suggest. The team has managed only one league victory this season.
There has been some public scrutiny regarding the clarity of Carrick's position in recent days. He led training sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday while speculation about his dismissal grew. Club sources explained that the training schedule for non international players had been planned more than a month in advance.
Carrick had joined the club on an interim basis in January after Ruben Amorim was let go. He oversaw a remarkable run, winning twelve of his final seventeen matches to secure a third place finish in the 2025 26 season. This performance earned him a permanent two year contract in May and a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023.
The sacking marks the third consecutive season in which United have changed managers mid campaign. Erik ten Hag was dismissed in October 2024, followed by Amorim in January 2026. The club intends to appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible.
Pochettino, 54, is the frontrunner for the role. His release clause is valued at ten million dollars, or approximately seven million pounds. His coaching staff, including assistant Jesus Perez, could add another two million dollars to the cost. United representatives are reportedly comfortable with the timing of the United States' upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti.
The club expects Pochettino to arrive at Carrington by November 18 at the latest. This timeline allows him to prepare for his first match in charge, which is scheduled against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22. Most of United's international players are also expected to return to training by that date.
