Manchester United have already made contact with their top manager target as they begin the hunt for Michael Carrick’s replacement, according to a brand-new update from Fabrizio Romano.
Man United chiefs Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada have decided to recommend to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that the club sacks Carrick during the international break, following a disastrous season.
Not only do United lie in the relegation spots in the Premier League having won only one of their 10 matches this term, but they have also lost two of their four Champions League fixtures, and been knocked out of the EFL Cup by Brighton and Hove Albion despite leading 2-0 against the Seagulls at Old Trafford after 10 minutes.
The Red Devils are a shadow of the team who soared to a third-place finish in the Premier League last term under the leadership of Carrick, and Berrada and Wilcox have decided it’s time for a change.
United’s players shouldn’t get away without any criticism however, given the majority have been nowhere near the levels they reached in the 2025-26 campaign. Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes haven’t helped the situation either by speaking out publicly against Wilcox and Carrick in recent weeks.
Even though Carrick remains in the job for now, talk has already started about how is going tor replace the 45-year-old in the dugout.
As GIVEMESPORT revealed on Monday evening, USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino is emerging as a leading contender for the job, while Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte have also had their admirers on the United board.
Key Events Timeline
- May 2026 — Manchester United handed Carrick a permanent two-year deal after Champions League qualification.
- August 2026 — Carrick oversaw summer signings including Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba.
- September 2026 — Carrick insisted his squad had improved once the transfer window closed.
- November 2026 — United slipped into the Premier League relegation zone for the first time since 1986 (after 9+ games)
- November 2026 — Carrick set to be sacked after one win in 10 Premier League games.
Speaking on his latest video on Tuesday evening, Romano revealed that the Red Devils have already held talks with the representatives of Pochettino, who GMS understands has a $10m release clause in the new contract he signed in August.
Romano said: “They already had contact with Mauricio Pochettino, so he’s a serious candidate for sure.
“Then, obviously, before appointing him, meetings, talks, discussions are still needed. But they know him; they know him well. Pochettino ticks several boxes at Manchester United in terms of international experience and much more. So he’s a manager highly rated by Manchester. United, so he’s in the running for sure.
“He’s also open to getting the job. So Mauricio Pochettino would be open to taking this opportunity. Then we have to see if Man United decide to go all in and appoint Pochettino. So that’s the question mark right now.
But Pochettino is in the running for sure. There have been discussions with his representatives.
Pochettino Looks Like Most Likely Appointment
Pochettino has emerged from nowhere really in the United manager race, given the main names mentioned in recent weeks when Carrick’s job was in danger were Howe, Nagelsmann, Conte, Unai Emery and Fabian Hurzeler.
Prising either of the latter two away from Aston Villa and Brighton and Hove Albion looks to be an impossible job, with Emery close to signing a new contract at Villa Park and Hurzeler not willing to leave the Seagulls right now.
Pochettino has been a target for United before, but they opted to appoint Erik ten Hag on the occasion where he was very high on their shortlist.
Also speaking on Tuesday afternoon, the Athletic’s David Ornstein hinted that the appointment of Pochettino is now the most likely direction of travel, with the club currently not pursuing Howe, Nagelsmann or Conte, despite links.
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Of course, United still need to agree the approximate £7.5m fee required to prise Pochettino away from the USA job, although the timing isn’t great from the nation’s point of view, given they have a competitive match against Haiti to play on Saturday night.
The positive for the Red Devils is that the Argentine, who was described as ‘world-class’ when the US appointed him, is clearly open to taking the reins at Old Trafford.
Now we wait and see if club chiefs pull the trigger, and if we see the 54-year-old in the dugout to face Liverpool a week on Sunday.
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