Manchester United’s majority shareholders, the Glazer family, are ready to approve a deal for Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick as the Red Devils’ manager, but there are doubts about whether the Argentine manager would want to leave for Old Trafford, according to a report.

Pochettino has been the manager of the USA since September 2024 and signed a new deal only in August 2026.

However, Man Utd are considering Pochettino as a potential replacement for Carrick.

Journalists David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano have both reported that Pochettino is one of the leading candidates for Man Utd.

Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are the two other major managerial candidates.

Glazers want Mauricio Pochettino at Man Utd

According to The i Paper, the Glazers family want Man Utd to hire Pochettino.

The reliable publication has reported that Pochettino is ‘the top pick’ for Joel and Avram Glazer.

Man Utd looked at hiring the Argentine in 2018 and 2022.

The report has stated: ‘Two sources in the US, who have close working ties to Joel and Avram Glazer, the most active members of the family in United dealings, insist the Americans will not make the same mistake in overlooking Pochettino again.’

It has further added: ‘The Glazers have very close ties to the billionaire hedge fund owner Ken Griffin, who helped finance Pochettino’s lucrative four-year deal he signed in the summer.

‘Griffin and his Citadel company also provided funds for the Glazers’ leveraged takeover of United in 2005 and own a very small number of shares in the club.’

Doubts on Mauricio Pochettino to Man Utd

However, appointing Pochettino right now would not be easy, even if Man Utd are willing to trigger the release clause in his contract with the USA.

While the former Paris Saint-Germain boss ‘would be willing to hear what United have to say, when he is contacted’, Pochettino is said to be happy in his current role as the USA manager.

The i Paper went on to state: ‘There are doubts among several US-based insiders over whether Pochettino would leave the US job now.

‘The former Chelsea and Tottenham boss has spoken about his long-term plans for the role in great detail and is creating a young and vibrant side.

‘Taking over a ‘poisoned chalice’ like United right now seems, to some, puzzling.’

Former Man Utd defender Rio Ferdinand has given his verdict on the club’s co-owners, INEOS, potentially hiring Pochettino to replace Carrick.

Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “People are talking about Mauricio Pochettino and it looks like he’s at the front of the queue right now,”

“We spent some time with him and his team in the summer, they’re really good guys and competent at what they do.

“I look at Pochettino and one of his biggest assets is that human element of his management and building confidence with his players. That’s a big part of Manchester United at the moment because we’ve got far too many broken individuals.

“How that gets rebuilt, is that coaching, results or somebody coming in and putting an arm around their shoulder? It’s going to be all of that.

“I look at that group of names and think Pochettino is the one that jumps off the list as someone who has more of the things we’re looking for to save and build a group of players.

“I think he’s got more than the others from what I’ve seen and my interactions with him over time.

“There’s not many names jumping off the page when you look at it. People will say, ‘what has Pochettino won?’, but you can say the same about Eddie Howe.

“The standards have dropped massively so let’s be realistic about where we are. There’s a process to get back there. We need to stabilise and get back in the Champions League again.”