Manchester United appoint Mauricio Pochettino as head coach

Argentine specialist Mauricio Pochettino will become the new head coach of the English football club Manchester United, having signed an agreement for a period of 2.5 years. This was announced on November 13 by journalist David Ornstein on the social network X (ex. Twitter).

"Mauricio Pochettino will lead Manchester United. They will sign a contract for 2.5 years — until the summer of 2029. It is expected that the 54-year—old specialist will lead the US national football team during the upcoming international break," the journalist wrote.

According to Ornstein, Pochettino will start working at the English club before the match against Liverpool. According to Daily Mail journalist Ian Herbert, the appointment of the Argentine was the result of the intervention of the Glazer family, which owns a controlling stake in Manchester United. According to his information, the American owners actually took over the management of key decisions of the club from the British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos company.

Initially, Ineos management considered Newcastle coach Eddie Howe for the position of head coach. However, Joel and Avram Glazer opposed his candidacy against the background of a sharp deterioration in the results of the Mancunians in the English Premier League. Instead, they insisted on inviting Pochettino, after which Ratcliffe and his team were forced to accept this decision.

Herbert notes that negotiations on the appointment of a new coach took place without the full participation of the club's executive director Omar Berrada and athletic director Jason Wilcox. At the same time, Pochettino will receive significantly more independence than his predecessors Eric ten Hug, Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick.

According to the journalist, the Argentine will focus directly on the Glazer family, and not obey the previous management structure of Ineos. As a result, he may become one of the most influential figures in the club, while the continued tenure of Ineos executives in their positions will depend on the results of his work.

Inviting a specialist will also require additional financial costs. According to the publication, Manchester United will pay compensation to the US Soccer Federation in the amount of 7.5 million pounds for the early termination of the coach's contract.

From the bronze of the Premier League to the relegation zone: why Michael Carrick did not succeed in the MU

The day before, Manchester United dismissed head coach Michael Carrick amid the team's unsatisfactory results this season. Manchester United played 14 matches under Carrick in the 2026/27 season in the English Championship and the Champions League, winning only three. Five more meetings ended in a draw, and in six the team was defeated.