Mauricio Pochettino stands on the verge of taking over at Manchester United for a nine-million-euro buyout fee should the club dismiss Michael Carrick, LAOLA1 reported on Thursday.

An agreement between all parties is fully in place, according to transfer specialist Matteo Moretto. The deal could receive official confirmation before the end of the week, sending the nine-million-euro fee straight to the United States soccer federation.

Manchester United executives travelled to Monaco on Wednesday to meet with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to review the team’s direction. The club sits 18th in the Premier League table after collecting only one victory from their opening ten fixtures, Heute noted.

Michael Carrick guided the squad back into the Champions League during a strong run last season, but a draw against Aston Villa pushed the board toward a change.

Should Pochettino depart for Manchester United, the United States national team has discussed Pep Guardiola as a potential target, according to The Athletic. Sources familiar with the situation reported that the organization is heavily discussing the appointment of Guardiola across multiple levels of the hiring process, and he is expected to be the top candidate for the role.

“It is fascinating to build a project over many years in the US and take the next step with the national team,” Guardiola said back in 2024 when discussing the country’s football potential. “The potential in the US is enormous, given the many people, the diverse sports, and so on.”

Guardiola stepped down from Manchester City over the summer after a ten-year tenure, leaving him without a club post for the first time in 19 years. He did not renew his contract with his former city rival, leaving the position following a decade of major success.

Earlier discussions involving Guardiola and the Italian federation fell through when the Spanish manager declined an offer out of exhaustion following a decade in the Premier League and back surgery, former technical director Paolo Maldini told Corriere della Serra, as reported by SPOX. The Italian association had been searching for a successor to Gennaro Gattuso following a failed World Cup qualification campaign by Italy.

“We went to Barcelona to meet him, had lunch together and talked for a whole day,” Maldini said. “It tempted him a lot. He was very close to saying yes.”

“Give me one euro less than the last national coach received, and that works for me,” Guardiola clearly told them, according to Maldini.

What fee is involved in Mauricio Pochettino’s reported move?
The United States federation is set to receive a nine-million-euro buyout payment if the agreement with Manchester United is finalized.

How did Pep Guardiola respond to previous national team approaches?
Guardiola turned down an opportunity to coach Italy’s national team due to fatigue after ten years managing Manchester City, according to statements from former technical director Paolo Maldini.

What is Manchester United’s current standing in the Premier League?
The club occupies 18th place in the league table following one win in their first ten matches of the season, Heute reported.