​Manchester United finalising deal to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as Carrick replacement
Manchester United are finalising a deal to hire Mauricio Pochettino, the reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic has revealed.Pochettino interestIt’s looking increasingly likely that Michael Carrick will be sacked, owing to United’s awful form so far this season.Sunday’s dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa left the club in 18th place, a largely novel and unfathomable position for United; however, the performances and results indicate that this reality is not shocking.The Red Devils have won just one game, drawn five and lost four. They boast a meagre eight points from their opening 10 games.A meeting is set to take place in Monaco today between Sir Jim Ratcliffe and club executives Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox. The expectation is that Berrada and Wilcox will recommend that Carrick be dismissed. The legendary midfielder no longer enjoys the support of the top brass and will be let go.Pochettino has emerged as a leading candidate for the Old Trafford hot seat and it’s believed that he is very keen on the opportunity. He has long coveted the role and come close on several occasions, yet nothing has ever materialised.Now, Ornstein reports that Pochettino is just one step away from becoming the next United boss.Pochettino bombshellOrnstein writes for The Athletic, “Manchester United are finalising a deal for Mauricio Pochettino to become their next head coach, if an ultimate decision is taken to relieve Michael Carrick of his duties.”“Amid a sequence of only three wins in 15 games, work has been undertaken on potential successors and Pochettino — the United States men’s national team boss — has emerged as the chosen candidate.”“Sources with knowledge of the process, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, have told The Athletic that United spent Tuesday ironing out personal terms with the Argentine’s representatives — no issues are anticipated — but they have yet to contact U.S. Soccer, to whom an exit clause worth around $10million (£7.4m) would need to be paid.”Ornstein adds that if United decide to press ahead with Pochettino’s appointment, he will be joined by his USMNT coaching staff. United would fork out a larger compensation to also get them out of their contracts.Pochettino’s current terms with the USMNT run until 2030.He has previously managed in the Premier League, taking charge of Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. His most recent club stint was with Paris Saint-Germain.