Mauricio Pochettino becomes major candidate to replace Michael Carrick as Man United manager

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Mauricio Pochettino is a serious candidate to be the next Manchester United manager, as the club weigh up whether to finally dispense with Michael Carrick.

There is a growing expectation that the Old Trafford hierarchy will make a coaching change following a historic winless streak that has left the club inside the relegation zone during the November international break.

While the football leadership group of Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada now feel that the time is right to make a change, following the chaotic 4-4 draw at home to Aston Villa, a final veto will go to the ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.

The Independent has been told that moves were afoot over Monday to try and get Pochettino in as United manager.

The 54-year-old has been USA manager since 2024 and recently extended his contract until the 2030 World Cup, though that deal has a release clause.

It was as recently as September that Pochettino told The Independent and other media outlets that the option of leaving USA before his contract expired would be a possibility.

Other potential candidates are Eddie Howe, Sebastian Hoeness, Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann, but the fact there are reservations over all of them has played into United’s procrastination over making a decision on Carrick’s immediate future.

United have long-standing interest in Pochettino, and he was at least someway close to the job at various points over 2018, 2020 and 2021 during Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s reign.

It is understood there is still some debate at the top of the club over the best course of action, which is why it could still be a few days until there are concrete developments – if any developments materialise at all.