Manchester United's powerbrokers meet for a summit in Monaco today - as Michael Carrick continues to turn up for work with his future looking bleak.

United manager Carrick, 45, was pictured giving a thumbs up to photographers as he arrived at the club's Carrington training ground at 7.45am in his Land Rover on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are due to meet with Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco.

Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Carrick.

If United decide to sack Carrick, it would push the compensation paid out to coaching staff and executives over the last three years under minority owner Ratcliffe and Ineos close to £30million. Buying Pochettino out of his contract with the US national team would cost another £7m.

Berrada and Wilcox flew to the south of France yesterday to attend a scheduled summit of Ineos executives. Berrada and Wilcox will make their recommendation to Ratcliffe today, with all the indications pointing to Carrick paying the price for his team's alarming descent into the Premier League relegation zone.

Back in Manchester, Carrick is in limbo: He was seen leaving United's training ground on Tuesday with 16-year-old son Jacey, a youth player at the club, after overseeing a slimmed-down group of players in training during the international break.  

United sources are maintaining that no final decision has been reached. Co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer would still need to give their approval for the sacking.

It's understood that the Old Trafford hierarchy would want to inform Carrick of their decision face to face, so there may not be any official confirmation from the club until Thursday.

Yesterday, United legend Teddy Sheringham placed the blame on two players for Carrick's seemingly imminent exit after their chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.

'I feel like this Manchester United team doesn't know whether they are supposed to be pressing or dropping off,' he told BOYLE Sports. 'I don't think they know what they're supposed to be doing from the first minute because even the little things are missing, for me.

'When the ball was played out to Harry Magurie against Aston Villa, who is a senior pro, he heads it but doesn't really head it out or head it to a teammate and it goes out of play and from there they take a quick throw. It's such a weird way to start a game.

'The goalkeeper, Senne Lammens, looks nervous to me as well. He makes mistake after mistake after it puts you on the backfoot straight away. The way they reacted after going behind is good, it shows they're still fighting, but you can't carry on like this as Manchester United.'

It's unclear what would happen to Carrick's backroom staff. Goalkeeper coach Craig Mawson was already at the club when Carrick arrived and would be likely to stay, along with Travis Binnion who moved up to first-team coach after working with United's age-group teams.

Jonny Evans had just left his role as loans manager, but returned to work alongside his old United teammate as part of a new coaching team that includes Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate.

Carrick was only handed a two-year contract in May and would be due a pay-off from United who have already spent £22.7million in compensation since 2024 under Ineos.

It includes £10.4million to Erik ten Hag and his staff when the Dutchman was sacked four months after being given a contract extension, £4.1million to Dan Ashworth who lasted just 159 days as sporting director, and £8.2million to Amorim and his backroom team when they left after 14 months.

It would have been as high as £16.7million but United saved half of that figure when the Portuguese coach returned to work at AC Milan.

Pochettino was strongly linked with the United job before the club appointed Ten Hag in 2022 and again when he was under pressure two years later.

The 54-year-old is currently busy at the US national team base south of Atlanta preparing for a CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final double-header against Haiti.

However, it’s known that Pochettino would be interested in a return to the Premier League where he previously worked at Tottenham, Chelsea and Southampton.