MANCHESTER, England -- Struggling Premier League giant Manchester United fired Michael Carrick on Thursday and was closing in on a deal to replace him with U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino in moves that could shake up soccer on both sides of the Atlantic.
United was hopeful of announcing Pochettino’s appointment before he takes charge of the U.S. team’s upcoming games against Haiti on Saturday and Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
While the move could end years of decline for the 20-time English champion, the loss of Pochettino would be a major blow to the U.S. national team so soon after he signed a four-year contract extension through to the 2030 World Cup.
Carrick was fired after overseeing United’s worst start to a Premier League season, leaving the it in the relegation zone after 10 games. Pochettino is seen as the man to resurrect the once dominant club’s fortunes after years of decline.
The 54-year-old Argentine had previously been a leading candidate for the job in 2022 when Erik ten Hag was ultimately hired.
Pochettino has coached Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League and won the French title with Paris Saint-Germain. He took over the U.S. in 2024 and led it to the round of 16 at this year’s World Cup.
United States striker Folarin Balogun said Thursday he wanted the coach to stay on with the national team.
“If I had a vote I would like to keep things the way they are,” he said.
Carrick paid the price for woeful start to the season
Carrick’s departure comes less than six months after he was given a two-year contract and the responsibility of bringing the good times back to United, which hasn’t won the league since managerial great Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
A 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday left United 18th in the 20-team standings after just one league win all season. With eight points from 10 games, it is United’s worst start for 40 years -- predating the Premier League era.
“After a disappointing start to the season, the club has come to the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions,” United said.
United added that the club intended to “appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible.”
Carrick was told by chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox on Thursday morning that his reign had come to an end following an internal review.
United seeking eighth permanent manager since Ferguson
Firing Carrick comes after he insisted he would not walk away from the job following the chaotic draw with Villa that highlighted United’s defensive flaws.
It means United is on the hunt for an eighth permanent manager since Ferguson’s departure 13 years ago, a turbulent period in which the club has been overtaken by Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Carrick, a serial title-winner as a player under Ferguson, was appointed on a short-term deal midway through last season and guided the team to a third-place finish and Champions League qualification.
That earned him a long-term contract but things have unraveled quickly this season, with just three wins in all competitions, an eight-game winless run in the league and elimination from the English League Cup.
Top players Bruno Fernandes, the team captain, and Lisandro Martinez have also added to the sense of crisis with criticism of tactics and the club’s leadership, respectively.
“Michael is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend,” United said. “Just as he did as a player, he has conducted himself with the highest standards of dedication and professionalism throughout his time back with the club.
“His leadership and achievements last season will always be fondly remembered.”
Carrick took charge of training on Wednesday and was seen arriving at United’s training ground on Thursday, before leaving soon after.
Scrutiny on United owners
The firing of another manager will increase scrutiny on United’s ownership -- the Glazer family in the United States and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, through his INEOS petrochemicals group.
Fans staged their latest protests against the owners during the Villa game, calling on them to sell the club.
“It is time for the owners to explain themselves and show some accountability,” the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust said in a statement.
There is also increasing pressure on Berrada and Wilcox after another failed coaching appointment.
Since Ferguson, Champions League-winning coaches Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho have won cups at United but were ousted after failing to mount serious title challenges in the Premier League.
In recent years, highly rated and emerging coaches like Ten Hag and Ruben Amorim also failed to meet the club’s expectations, while former players in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Carrick have also come up short.
“The reason Manchester United fans have continued to support Michael Carrick in recent weeks is that they know that responsibility for United’s problems do not primarily rest with him or indeed his predecessors as manager. They lie with the ownership,” the supporters’ trust said. “The Glazers’ debt-funded takeover continues to burden the club. When INEOS came in they promised sporting excellence, but yet with repeated changes in football leadership we have seen anything but.”
