Cape Town – Manchester United are finalising a deal to make Mauricio Pochettino their next head coach if they sack Michael Carrick, with the Premier League club in the relegation zone.

The Red Devils are close to agreeing a deal for Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick, reports The Athletic.

United spent Tuesday working through personal terms with the Argentine’s representatives, and no problems are expected. The club has yet to contact US Soccer, though. Pochettino is under contract as United States head coach until the 2030 World Cup, and United would have to pay a release clause of around £7.4 million. More compensation would be due for his backroom staff, who would move with him.

Carrick’s position has become hard to defend. United are in the relegation zone after winning only one of their first 10 league games, and the Champions League comeback against Roma is their only win in their last 11 matches.

Carrick was still taking training on Tuesday, while chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox flew to Monaco for meetings with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

For Pochettino, it would end a decade-long link with the club. Sir Alex Ferguson met him for lunch in 2016, and he has been considered for the job several times since, including an interview in 2022 before United chose Erik ten Hag.

The 54-year-old knows the Premier League well from his time at Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea. He led Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain, and took the United States to the last 16 of this year’s World Cup.