Mauricio Pochettino is ready to call the shots on the futures of up to 11 Manchester United players over the remainder of this season, with the new manager expected to quickly dispatch of the stars he can’t trust, with details emerging on the preferential treatment he might give to both Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford.

The Red Devils are preparing for a new era after releasing an emotional 142-word statement confirming that the club’s popular manager, Michael Carrick, has been officially sacked.

Given their position of 18th in the Premier League table, United know they have not a moment to lose, having quickly decided on Pochettino as his replacement, and with TEAMtalk sources revealing the exact compensation that INEOS will need to pay the US Soccer Federation to release the Argentine and four trusted members of his backroom staff in order to move to Old Trafford.

In a fresh update on Thursday evening, David Ornstein has revealed details of Pochettino’s contract length at Old Trafford, as well as his likely arrival date.

Given a clash away to Liverpool looms a matter of days later, on Sunday November 22, Pochettino has little time to get his feet under the table before the serious work begins.

Amid claims that he has been set three instant targets this season, Pochettino will need to soon discover his most trusted players in order to achieve those goals – and, at the same time, decide whether the following eight players Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Mason Mount and Noussair Mazraoui all have a future at Old Trafford.

The first four of those are out of contract next year, while the report also claims Pochettino will also make decisions on the long-term futures of the out-of-favour trio Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee…

Pochettino to weed out stars he can’t trust 

As part of that weeding-out process, the club’s former player, Nicky Butt, speaking to The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, believes big changes to the squad could be made as soon as the January window.

“He’s got to work out the ones he can trust, the ones he can’t and quickly and get them out in January; he can’t stick with that team until next season,” he explained.

“Manchester United are that low down, they don’t even need to think about winning anything at the minute.”

Butt also hopes the 54-year-old can ultimately rebuild a squad that the fans can be proud of, though at the very least, ones who will give 100% to the new manager.

“What we look for now to build a squad and build someone, a squad that we can be proud of and watch it and go, you know what, we’re not there yet, but we’re getting there, and we’ve got good lads that will run through brick walls for us,” he added.

“I think he can do that, and I think he’s clever enough to notice and recognise one or two that he can’t trust.”

Butt also wonders if divisive £57m defender Martinez could also get an unexpected lifeline.

“It will be interesting now with Martinez, him being Argentinian, that’s going to be interesting.”

One man expected to play a big role going forward, is Rashford, with a report on Thursday revealing how the England man is a player that the Argentine has always loved and wanted to work with.

A source explained to the Telegraph: “Mauricio has always loved Rashford. He will put an arm around him and give him that same kind of love he showed to Dele Alli [at Spurs]. Then it’s up to Rashford.”

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Thursday that Pochettino will also decide on two American star signings in the January window, with one already having given the move a major green light.